Andy Reid maintains Rashee Rice's caution after injury update boosts Chiefs' hopes of a 3-peat

On Sunday, September 29th, Patrick Mahomes was intercepted in the first quarter. However, when the Chiefs QB attempted to tackle the Chargers' Kristian Fulton during the return, he accidentally hit teammate Rashee Rice with the shoulder. Shortly after this incident, the WR was observed to be limping and so he was carried off the field for further evaluation. Rice didn't return for the rest of the game, but what caused even more trauma for the Chiefs was the fear that he wouldn't return for the rest of the season either. This major injury setback for the Chiefs' offense also put the franchise's hopes of a 3-peat victory in doubt. But is it the case that Rice isn't returning this year? Well, KC fans might get some good news!

During a recent appearance at The Herd with Colin Cowherd Podcast on October 2nd, Coach Andy Reid gave an important update on Rashee Rice's injury status. When the presenter asked him about the upcoming reports, the 66-year-old replied: “Yes, he's going to have a few more tests done next week, so we'll see exactly where it stands and I'll leave it to the doctors.“Reid, however, didn't provide full details on Rashee Rice's return, but he at least made sure to let fans know when to expect him at the games.

The coach explained this: “All I know is that he won't be there this week and probably next week. So we have a lot of people that we need to get ready to go and that's what we're doing.“This statement suggests that while Rice may not be back in the next few weeks, depending on his health at that point, he could be back in Week 7.” Additionally, there's more good news in this update: it's likely Rashee Rice will not miss the entire season, which was the biggest concern after his knee injury.

Therefore, it remains to be seen when Chiefs star WR returns to games as everyone is keeping their fingers crossed. Even Rashee Rice himself is keeping his hopes alive as he shared a cryptic post on social media on October 2nd. Rice shared a SpongeBob SquarePants meme and highlighted an important message that reads: “When people ask me where my strength comes from – from the Lord.”

In this cryptic post, it became clear that the athlete is motivated enough for the future and is waiting for an official diagnosis from the doctors.

What Do Doctors Say About Rashee Rice's Injury Status?

When Rashee Rice was injured, many feared he might have torn his ACL and therefore not return for the rest of the season. However, according to a doctor, Rice's cruciate ligament was not torn. Yes! Dr. Edwin Porras, a doctor of physical therapy, explained his point of view by saying: “I'll be damned. Rice was probably able to avoid a torn ACL. For this reason, we confirm this with imaging. If the MRI does not confirm the anterior cruciate ligament the next day, the chances of it completely tearing are slim. This is a general rule of thumb in sports medicine.”

Additionally, Porras explained that Rashee Rice's knee injury is serious, although it is still unclear how severe it is. There are concerns about possible damage to his ACL, ACL or hamstring, but the good news is that it does not appear at this time that his ACL has been torn. So after his MRI scan, doctors have likely ruled this out, but the team is still investigating other possible problems in his knee. Therefore, the doctor mentioned that even though Rice might not be out for the entire season, he could still be out for several weeks. But when will he come back? Well, according to Porras, the hope is that Rice could return by the fantasy football playoffs, which would give the Chiefs a boost.

On the other hand, sports doctor Jesse Morse pointed out that Rice's knee may still be too swollen to receive a full evaluation. Therefore, he suggested that fans may not learn more specific details until after Week 5, when the Chiefs will likely sit Rice out during their bye week. Still, Morse also encouraged fantasy football players to hold on to Rice because his season isn't necessarily over yet.

So that means both experts seem to agree that while the injury is serious, it may not be season-ending for Rashee Rice. And it's certainly a boost to the Chiefs' hopes of going three-peat.