Amid a troubled offseason, receiver Laci Rice reported for organized team activities (OTAs) for the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, according to media reports.
The second-year receiver has made headlines off the field for several non-football-related incidents in the past two months, including being involved in a multi-vehicle crash while racing a Lamborghini in northeast Dallas. . Rice now faces eight felonies stemming from the crash and a $1 million lawsuit from two people injured in the crash. A suspension by the NFL may be imminent.
Additionally, Rice was accused of assaulting a photographer at a Dallas nightclub earlier this month. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the cameraman filed an affidavit with Dallas police saying it was a misunderstanding and asking the charges to be dropped.
Rice, 24, participated remotely in the Chiefs’ offseason activities earlier this year, head coach Andy Reid said. In the immediate aftermath of the accident, the team’s stance was to let the legal process play out before making any decisions regarding Rice’s status.
The Chiefs made two notable additions to their receiver staff this offseason. He signed free agent Marquise Brown and drafted Texas speedster Xavier Worthy in the first round. The team wants to add depth to its receiver corps for Patrick Mahomes, especially with Rice expected to serve a long suspension.
Rice was drafted by Kansas City in the second round (55th overall) out of SMU last year. During his regular season, he caught 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. The Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second year in a row, and he set a record for a rookie receiver with 26 postseason receptions.
