The Kansas City Chiefs are adjusting to life without their standout wide receiver, Rashee Rice, who sustained a serious knee injury in week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Initial fears suggested that Rice may have torn his ACL, but head coach Andy Reid offered clarity after Rice’s successful arthroscopic surgery on October 7th. While the injury was not ACL-related, the news did little to brighten his recovery outlook.

Reid explained that Rice’s injury involved the posterolateral corner of his knee.

“It’s probably the same result, though, as you’d get time-wise for an ACL. It takes a while for that to come back. He’ll get into his rehab and get rolling on that as we go here,” Reid explained.

While Rice’s ACL and meniscus were spared, the expected recovery time is still long, likely mirroring that of an ACL recovery.

Recovery timeline and how Rice’s absence will impact the Chiefs’ season

Despite avoiding ACL or meniscus damage, Rice is looking at a three to four-month recovery process, which all but rules him out for the rest of the 2023 season. Even if the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl in February, Rice’s return seems highly unlikely.

Rice had been enjoying a breakout season before his injury, leading the NFL with 23 receptions. His loss is a significant blow to the Chiefs’ offense, adding to their mounting list of injuries. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown is also sidelined for the remainder of 2024 due to a shoulder injury, and running back Isiah Pacheco has yet to be given a timeline for his return after suffering a fibula injury in week 2.

In the wake of Rice’s absence, the Chiefs have had to rely on other players to maintain their strong start to the season. Rice himself addressed the situation by sharing a post-surgery photo on Instagram, captioned “Rise & Shine,” signaling his focus on recovery.

For now, Kansas City will need to keep adapting as they continue their push for another successful playoff run, despite the growing list of injuries to key offensive players.