I've been trying to get to the bottom of this for weeks and I think the problem is the NFL doesn't really want to talk about it because they don't want it to be a story because they'd rather it not be covered because if it's covered too much then they have to put the guy on paid leave and that's what paid leave is there for to have a guy that you otherwise would be talking about not around to be talked about the Rashi rice incident the eight felony charges flowing from the street racing video that we've seen many times it happened in late March he's facing those charges the case is moving forward couple of weeks ago I was trying to figure out is he going to be on the field week one well we we'll assess the situation under the personal conduct policy after the legal process is concluded but fine are you going to use the commissioner exemplarist because it's right there in the personal conduct policy if you're facing felony charges you can be put on paid leave and he's facing eight of them and they never give a clear answer and yesterday there was a conference call with reporters it was all on the record I'm not talking out of school here and they were trying to be evasive about it they were trying to not answer the question about whether or not he's going to be put on paid leave and finally they did with a cleanup on aisle five that they swooped in at the end of the call and and acknowledged they won't be putting him on paid leave barring a material change in his case they finally gave us an answer to the question people need to know if the guy's going to play or not I I had written multiple times in our story from two and a half weeks ago apparently was ignored because the same damn thing was reported by The Washington Post two days ago the exact same thing we reported 2 and a half weeks ago they're going to wait until the case is over and then they'll review it under the personal conduct policy and if he would have been put on paid leave it was going to happen already look how quick Mike Hall Jr the Browns got put on paid leave because of a domestic violence case that's the key it's not domestic violence you're far less likely to be put on paid leave if you're accused of domestic violence felony or misdemeanor you're far more likely to be put on paid leave well and he was lucky Mike that nobody died in in the wreck that he caused because then I think he would also be on paid leave if that had happened but fortunately no one no one was killed in that wreck um that he caused here in here in Dallas so yes yes but but I'm sorry to interrupt you we heard them yesterday talking about the hip drop tackle and how trying to remove the behavior from the game y the behavior is the problem not the outcome absolutely because you know you play Russian Roulette and you only shoot yourself in the head one out of six times the other five times no harm no foul what the hell are you doing playing Russian roulette and you're playing Russian roulette when you're driving like that with somebody else's life so the fact that he got lucky shouldn't change how the NFL feels about it or anyone El else that's where the disconnect is here and that's what bugs me about this he should be on paid leave that video that video is horrifying a when you see it and he just got lucky that nobody got killed so they finally have given us an answer finally Rashid rice barring a material change between now and Thursday will'll see him playing for the Chiefs against the Ravens to start the season well and that's good for the Chiefs that he's going be out there he will be suspended at some point I I would bet my next paycheck on that he's going to be suspended the question is when and it's you know court cases take a while and the investigations take a while so it's going to be a while probably be into next season but the the Chiefs will have him this season they need him after Hollywood Browns injury he did become their number one receiver last year 79 catches almost a th000 yards and seven touchdowns and they've improved that receiving core and part of the reason they improved that receiving core was not knowing his status at the time so they went out and and said we're going to get better at receiver and they are they've got a much better receiving core and they would a be able to absorb his absence much better but they do have him now Mike so that's good for the Chiefs that that Patrick Mahomes has Rashid rice to start the season and probably for the entire season the better you are the more tolerant a team will be with some missteps and the Chiefs regard Rashid rice as a guy that when he goes back to Dallas he gets around friends that that influence him in a way that isn't productive for anyone there was the other incident that ultimately didn't result in anything because the remember it was a photographer who was at a at a bar and there was an altercation and charges were pressed but then they were dropped but you know the Chiefs love this guy because when he's not in Dallas they view him as a different human being together and he went in there last year and he figured out the offense faster than Tyreek Hill did as a rookie remember Tyreek Hill's rookie season he made most of his waves in the return game not as a core part of the offense Rashid rice figured it out he had almost a thousand yards he got better in the postseason this is a guy that could really take off this year that's one of the reasons why they're behind him because he really is the best option they have to become what Tyreek Hill was for the chief's offense and it probably won't be until next year that he's suspended and we'll see how this all plays out and you know the reality that no one got seriously injured or killed will probably buy him some lenience at some level even if it shouldn't because the behavior is what needs to be addressed but you're right it'll be this time next year as the Chiefs are getting ready to host the opening game because they've won their third Super Bowl in a row they were talking about the number of games that Rashid rice is missing because of the mar March 2024 incident yeah and these things are never resolved quickly and this one wasn't resolved quickly and won't be resolved quickly so I expect them to have him for the entire season and and I think the Chiefs probably expect to have him for the entire season so that's good for them for this season and they'll take that into account the off season when they start again managing what they need to add in either free agency or the draft they'll probably be looking at the receiver position knowing that rasid rice is going to have to uh have some kind of suspension that he's going to have to serve so um but for this year Mike they have him that receiver core is upgraded I stupidly thought two years ago the receivers would be the detriment of this team and they had no chance even to make the playoffs much as the Super Bowl and last year I like oh they can't win the Super Bowl again that receiver course still isn't good enough well guess what Patrick Mahomes is good enough so whoever you give him at receiver just like what the Patriots did with Tom Brady for years aside from Randy Moss whoever you give him at receiver is good enough because he's good enough hey look the team has no chance to make it to the playoffs blowing up in your face that's my move don't take my move hi it's Mike Florio thanks for watching pftt on YouTube hit subscribe for the latest news and Analysis from pro football talk