Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.
The Kansas City Chiefs are riding high after beating the Detroit Lions 30-17 on “Sunday Night Football” to improve their record to 3-3. Coming into the NFL season, Kansas City knew that making it through Week 6 would be a critical milestone in their quest to return to the Super Bowl for the sixth time in eight years.
Beyond navigating tough matchups with the Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Los Angeles Chargers, quarterback Patrick Mahomes had to play the first six weeks without star wide receiver Rashee Rice. Mahomes has put up MVP-caliber numbers nonetheless, averaging 252.3 passing yards and 37.0 rushing yards per game with 15 total touchdowns.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates with wide receiver Rashee Rice during the 2024 NFL playoffs
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates with wide receiver Rashee Rice during the 2024 NFL playoffs
Against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7, Rice is set to return from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. On Monday, head coach Andy Reid dampened the excitement for Rice’s return with a stern reminder to the Chiefs’ wide receiver group.
“They’ve got a good friendship, which will be needed now,” Reid said of the wide receiver room, “because we’ve got a lot of guys and only one football.”
The 67-year-old coach specifically referenced the friendship of Rice, Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, the latter of whom has battled injuries all year but caught his first touchdown pass of the season against the Lions.
With Worthy in and out and Rice suspended, various Chiefs pass catchers currently lead the team across multiple key stat categories:
Brown leads in receptions (30) and targets (44).
Tyquan Thornton leads in yards per catch (20.9) and touchdowns (3, tied with Brown).
During Rice’s rookie season in 2023 — his only full season — he caught 79 passes for 938 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.
Reid’s reminder about keeping chemistry strong while spreading the ball around is not lost on his players. The motto “Everybody Gotta Eat” (E.G.E.) has emerged as a rallying cry in the Chiefs’ locker room, according to Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star.
It was also the first message Rice posted on social media ahead of his return from suspension, showing that the former second-round draft pick is embracing whatever chances come his way.