Kansas City Chiefs second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice vowed to "mature" after multiple arrests this offseason while addressing reporters at a youth football camp in Kansas City.
"I've learned so much from [the offseason troubles]," Rice said via PJ Green of FOX 4 Kansas City. "All I can do is mature and continue to grow from that. This is a step in a better direction for me.
"Accidents and stuff like that happen, but all you can do is move forward and walk around being the same person, try to be positive so that everybody can feel your love and your great energy."
Last month, the victim of an alleged assault incident against Rice, 24, requested not to pursue charges, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported. Rice, who was previously arrested in April in relation to a six-vehicle crash that took place in Dallas, was accused of assaulting a photographer at a nightclub in the same city.
“Rashee Rice has other issues obviously that he is facing with the Kansas City Chiefs. He had the car crash in which he faces eight ... charges for his role there,” Pelissero said (h/t the Kansas City Star). “There was also a recent accusation by a photographer about him assaulting the photographer on his way out of a club. I actually can tell you, the photographer ... gave an affidavit to the Dallas Police Department saying it was a misunderstanding, wants the charges dropped.
“You still have the things related to the auto incident that is going to have to play out here for Rashee Rice and then on top of that NFL discipline, but at least for now ... he’s back with the Chiefs.”
Dallas Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that "the 'reporting party' signed an affidavit of non-prosecution, a sworn statement meaning they won’t participate in criminal proceedings." Rice was already facing eight charges, including one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury, in relation to the late March crash and expected to be suspended for "at least half" of the 2024 NFL season.
Former NFL Network reporter James Palmer revealed during an episode of former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr.'s podcast released on May 1, which echoed Schefter's previous report about his suspected suspension status. The Chiefs selected former University of Texas wide receiver at No. 28 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft last month after Schefter had previously reported that the team would target the position in the first-round, citing general manager Brett Veach, who previously referred to the class of wide receiver prospects as "one of the deeper classes."
The Dallas Police Department previously said it was searching for Rice as he was suspected to have been involved in a race that resulted in the six-vehicle accident on March 30, the Dallas Morning News reported on March 31. Rice and his attorney, Texas state Sen. Royce West, had previously confirmed the wide receiver's involvement in the crash following several reports.
Videos shared online appear to show Rice and others walking away from the scene of the crash.
Rice, who grew up in North Richland Hills, a suburb of Fort Worth, and attended Southern Methodist University, was listed on a police call sheet obtained by the newspaper prior to his attorney's confirmation of his involvement. The crash took place in the 6600 block of North Central Expressway after a driver in a Chevrolet Corvette -- initially suspected to be Rice -- and a driver in a Lamborghini were seen speeding near the SMU campus before both lost control of their vehicles, Dallas Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said via the Dallas Morning News.
Lowman said the Lamborghini was spotted on the shoulder of the road before it "hit the center median wall, causing a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles." The occupants of both the Lamborghini and Corvette fled the scene without proving information or seeing if any other individuals involved in the accident needed medical attention, according to Lowman.
Two other drivers were treated for minor injuries at the scene and two others were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Rice was selected by the Chiefs at No. 55 overall in the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft and served as the team's primary wide receiver during his rookie season.
The former SMU standout recorded 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season and 26 receptions for 262 yards and one touchdown during the postseason run through Super Bowl LVIII.
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