Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice spoke to reporters Tuesday for the first time since he served a 30-day jail sentence in the offseason. Rice was ordered by the Texas State Attorney's Office May 19 to go to jail immediately after he tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
A week before his sentence, he underwent surgery to remove debris from his knee, which was causing inflammation. While serving his sentence, Rice was granted permission by a judge to receive treatment on his right knee at Parkland Hospital.
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"It was a learning experience and a reality check," Rice said Tuesday. "Don't focus on the past. Focus on what's going on now. I'm doing [well] mentally.
"It was mentally tough. They gave me ways to communicate with my teammates still and as well as my athletic trainer. Besides the hard times in there, I kept my mind right watching shows and as much [of comedian] Kevin Hart as I could to laugh."
Rice admitted that the inflammation in his knee impacted his performance last season. After serving a six-game suspension to start last season, Rice had 53 receptions for 571 receiving yards and six touchdowns in eight games.
Now 26, he enters the final year of his rookie deal and needs a bounce-back season to shore up his future finances.
"I'm 100% locked in on what's going on now with the team," Rice said. "I'm ready to go out there and dominate. I've got a good group of brothers behind me."
The Chiefs need him to step up because fellow receiver Xavier Worthy has missed time due to a sprain in the shoulder he dislocated last season. The receiver group is thin and unproven after that. They still have tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, but it's up to Rice to provide the elite-level impact only he can do.
