The Kansas City Chiefs’ top receiver is set to have surgery on Tuesday to repair the LCL in his right knee. Although it’s not confirmed, doctors believe it’s likely that his season is over.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Rice received some encouraging news from doctors on Monday, who found that the injury to his knee wasn’t as severe as initially feared. It appears that only the LCL requires repair, which could make the recovery process more straightforward.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that doctors won’t fully understand the extent of the injury until the surgery is performed on Tuesday.
While it’s a relief that Rice’s injury isn’t as bad as first thought, it still seems unlikely he’ll return to the field this season, which creates a significant challenge for the Chiefs.
Kansas City was already dealing with the loss of Hollywood Brown for the season, and now this injury further weakens their lineup. In his rookie season in 2023, Rice made a big impact with 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 26 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run.
At 24, Rice started the 2024 season looking like a true No. 1 target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, recording 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in the first four games.
With Rice out, the Chiefs will rely more on Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, and rookie Xavier Worthy. It would also be a major boost for Kansas City if former second-round pick Skyy Moore could step up and make a meaningful contribution.
