Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will be available for the first four weeks of the NFL season, and it’s causing a rift between Mike Florio and Nick Wright.
On Thursday night, Florio published a piece atPro Football Talk wondering aloud why Rice isn’t being suspended for the start of the 2025 campaign given he pleaded guilty on July 17 for a 2024 street racing crash that caused injuries. Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail. However, his NFL disciplinary hearing isn’t scheduled until September 30, where any league discipline will be decided.
Florio compares that situation to Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison, who pleaded guilty to DUI on the same date yet finds himself suspended for the first three games of the season.
The PFT scribe quotes an anonymous source saying, ““Maybe I’m a conspiracy theorist, but this is odd.”
Florio’s piece immediately made waves on social media, with some skeptical of the premise and others pushing back. That included First Things First star and Chiefs superfan Nick Wright.
Wright ridiculed the notion that the league was intentionally delaying Rice’s punishment because it was more advantageous to the national television interests of the NFL, saying “I’m going to lose my mind.”
I’m going to lose my mind.
Not because of another mindless Chiefs conspiracy theory, but b/c this one ignores that the games that the next batch of games are EVEN HIGHER PROFILE NATIONAL TV GAMES!
Week 5 MNF JAX
Week 6 SNF DET
Week 8 MNF WSH
Week 9 4:25 BUF
Week 10 4:25 DEN https://t.co/UvpTK16rl6
— nick wright (@getnickwright) August 15, 2025
He then addressed Florio directly for writing the piece in the first place, arguing that Rice and Addison were being disciplined under separate NFL policies and saying, “I’ve known Mike for nearly 20 years & I do consider him a friend. But this should be so far beneath him.”
I’ve known Mike for nearly 20 years & I do consider him a friend.
But this should be so far beneath him.
Addison was suspended under a different policy & it’s a totally different process.
He of course knows this, but go ahead and anonymously quote a “conspiracy theorist.” https://t.co/UvpTK16rl6
— nick wright (@getnickwright) August 15, 2025
Mike Florio then responded to Wright’s post on X by saying that the Chiefs loyalist should have reached out to him privately to share his concerns if he was indeed a friend.
Nick. As I’ve said before. You have my number. I’m easy to find. If you want to have a conversation, call me. I mean, if you “consider me a friend,” maybe you should behave accordingly?
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 15, 2025
Not to be left out of any good sports media feud, Pablo Torre then offered both an invite to settle their differences on his podcast.
…………………..I happen to know of a completely neutral and fact-driven venue where you guys can have this conversation
— Pablo Torre 🕳️ (@PabloTorre) August 15, 2025
There is a heightened sensitivity around the NFL potentially favoring the Chiefs with all the weird stuff that happened last season around the team’s games and officiating decisions. But given the Chiefs have been the main character in the NFL for the last three years, it would be impossible to find a place in the schedule that doesn’t feature them playing high profile games. In fact, if Rice’s suspension is delayed, he could even miss a pivotal showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
Nick Wright has been relentless in battling any notion that there is some wider conspiracy to benefit the Chiefs. Although it should have been put to rest after the Eagles destroyed them in the Super Bowl, it may continue to be a storyline throughout this season.
Thankfully, the story does have a happy ending as Florio and Wright were indeed able to connect and resolve their differences of opinion over the story before it reached the official designation of a “sports media feud.”
Just had a wonderful conversation with “my pal” @ProFootballTalk. The only thing we agreed upon was that even when discussing NFLPA drama @PabloTorre can’t help but bring up the Peabody Awards 3x a conversation, but it was a good chat.
Will discuss on @FTFonFS1. https://t.co/KnDvH0dKAi
— nick wright (@getnickwright) August 15, 2025
Thankfully cooler heads prevailed between Nick Wright and Mike Florio. The timing of a Rashee Rice suspension probably isn’t worth jeopardizing any real life relationships.