KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) \u2014 Rashee Rice knows almost to the day how long it\u2019s been since he played in a game for the Kansas City Chiefs.<\/p>\n
Two more days until he does it again<\/a>.<\/p>\n Their top wide receiver has missed the first six this season while serving an NFL suspension for violating its personal-conduct policy, the punishment handed down for his role in a high-speed car crash in Dallas in March 2024. And he missed most of last season after tearing his ACL in Week 4, when Patrick Mahomes collided with him following an interception.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been looking forward to this<\/a>, I think it\u2019s been 380-something days since I have played in a regular-season game,\u201d Rice said Friday, following a final practice for Sunday\u2019s game against the Las Vegas Raiders<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, it\u2019s been a long time coming,\u201d he said. \u201cThe time is finally here.\u201d<\/p>\n Rice recovered sufficiently from his knee injury in time to participate in the Chiefs\u2019 offseason program, and he was able to take part in all of training camp. But once the season began, Rice had to remain away from the team, a punishment he agreed to when all parties decided it was in his best interest to get the six-game suspension out of the way.<\/p>\n Rice said he spent most of the time away in Florida, where the heat and humidity helped him stay in shape. He would work out Monday through Friday, then do another workout Sunday, as he tried to replicate what a typical game week is like.<\/p>\n The games themselves, Rice said, he would watch with family members. Kansas City lost its first two but has since won three of four, including a dominant victory last week over the Detroit Lions, widely considered a Super Bowl contender.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, the best thing for me is to be around the guys. I got leaders in each room, even on defense, that help me on and off the field,\u201d Rice said. \u201cThat\u2019s the best part about being on a team like this. You have everybody to support you.\u201d<\/p>\n Rice pleaded guilty to two felony charges for the wreck, including \u201ccollision involving serious bodily injury\u201d and \u201cracing on a highway causing bodily injury.\u201d The district attorney\u2019s office in Dallas said that Rice paid more than $115,000 in restitution to the victims, and his 30-day jail sentence can be served at any point during his five years of probation.<\/p>\n Rice declined Friday to discuss any of the legal issues he has faced, preferring to instead talk solely about football.<\/p>\n \u201cI learned that I love the game of football,\u201d he replied, when asked what he had learned over the past year-plus. \u201cI was able to realize how strong I am mentally, being able to face a lot of adversity.\u201d<\/p>\n Chiefs coach Andy Reid wouldn\u2019t say whether Rice would be on a snap count in his first game since Sept. 29, 2024, when he got hurt against the Chargers. But with a wide receiver corps that includes Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs are in the enviable position of not having to rush Rice back into the mix.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019s excited to play. He hasn\u2019t played a real game for a year and six weeks,\u201d Reid said. \u201cI\u2019m just going to watch it in the game. He knows everything. How many reps he gets \u2014 I\u2019m sure it won\u2019t be every rep. We\u2019ll just see how he does.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons remained away from practice Friday for what Reid called \u201cpersonal reasons,\u201d leaving Jaylon Moore in line to start his second consecutive game. Simmons, the Chiefs\u2019 first-round pick in April, was a late scratch from last week\u2019s game against Detroit, and Moore stepped in on short notice and did an admirable job.<\/p>\n \u201cI know the work that Jaylon has put in. He\u2019s been professional every single day,\u201d Mahomes said. \u201cHe\u2019s done his job and done it well, and having those reps in training camp and OTAs, I know he\u2019s going to go out there and battle.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve seen it now,\u201d Mahomes added. \u201cHe\u2019s a starting tackle in this league and can go out there and compete against anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n