Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has already ruled out Rice for the upcoming match against the New Orleans Saints, and now the receiver has officially been placed on IR.
The Chiefs are waiting for the swelling in Rice's knee to subside before conducting further tests, but he will be out for at least the next four weeks.
"We're really hoping that things work out for the best, but let's just see where it goes and leave it up to the doctors to see,'' Reid said on Thursday. "Rashee's had a phenomenal year.
"Unfortunately, in this league injuries happen, and life goes on, so we always expected the next guys to step up and roll, and it's no different now. There's not another Rashee. There [are] other guys, though, that are very, very good, so we'll be fine.''
Up until Rice's injury in the first quarter on Sunday, the receiver had made 24 receptions and 288 yards. Rice is the leading receiver for the Chiefs this season with two touchdowns, but now Kansas City must dig deep again.
The Chiefs have been dealt a blow with running back Isiah Pacheco sidelined due to injury, leading the team to bring back experienced free agent Kareem Hunt. The situation worsened as Mahomes expressed regret over an incident involving his teammate.
He said: "When I saw the replay, I felt like s--- that I hit Rashee. I think that's pretty much all ... I mean, I wasn't really worried about myself. I was worried about, hopefully, his injury, and hopefully that it wasn't as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him."
Despite the unfortunate collision with Rice, Mahomes himself avoided injury, which could have affected both players. When questioned about his own safety, Mahomes responded: "No I didn't notice in the moment, I was more worried about trying to get the ball. But yeah, obviously, just trying to make a play.
With Rice out of the picture, the Chiefs are adopting a "next man up" mentality, turning their attention to other key offensive players.
Rookie Xavier Worthy is anticipated to step up after a crucial touchdown against the Chargers, while star tight end Travis Kelce has yet to reach his peak performance this season. Kelce's stats show 158 yards without any touchdowns, marking a significant drop from his average last year.
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