Kansas City Chiefs Player Facing the Most Pressure in 2026
The Kansas City Chiefs have a handful of players under the microscope in 2026.
Xavier Worthy took a step back in his second season, managing just 532 yards and one touchdown on 42 catches. Chris Jones and Travis Kelce are both trying to prove they can still play at an elite level deep into their 30s. And last year’s first-round tackle Josh Simmons is tasked with protecting Patrick Mahomes, who’s coming back from a torn ACL and LCL.
But no one faces more pressure than Rashee Rice.
On the field, Rice has flashed real star potential when healthy. His rookie season saw him go for 938 yards and a franchise rookie record seven touchdowns on 79 catches, including 653 yards-after-catch (YAC), the third-most in the league. The idea of a YAC specialist like that catching passes from Mahomes for the next decade put the entire NFL on notice.
But availability has been a problem ever since. He suffered a torn LCL that limited him to just four games in 2024, and in 2025, he served a six-game suspension tied to a 2024 hit-and-run crash. He returned to post a respectable 571 yards and five touchdowns on 53 catches in eight games, but he’s remained in the spotlight for reasons other than football.
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Rice is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and under normal circumstances, he’d probably have already earned a new deal. Instead, his off-the-field track record has only gotten more complicated.
In May, he violated his probation for testing positive for THC, forcing him to serve 30 days in a Dallas County jail. He’s also in the middle of a civil lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend alleging repeated physical abuse. All of which has cast real uncertainty over his future in Kansas City.
The NFL has since reviewed the allegations and concluded in April that Rice hadn’t violated the personal conduct policy, meaning no suspension is expected on that front, for now. But the civil case itself remains ongoing.
Between the injuries, the suspension, and all of the legal issues, it’s difficult to predict what’s going to happen with Rice. He clearly has the talent to be a legit WR1, but he’s appeared in just over half of the Chiefs’ possible games since coming into the league in 2023. Talent alone isn’t enough to justify keeping him around if he can’t clean up the rest.
With his contract set to expire after this season, 2026 is the ultimate prove-it year for Rice, on and off the field.
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This story was originally published July 18, 2026 at 4:49 PM.