Travis Kelce showed his support for his suspended teammate, Rashee Rice, before the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelce, 35, wore a custom “Free 4” t-shirt during warmups on Sunday, September 14, a reference to the suspended wide receiver’s jersey number.
Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton was also seen wearing the shirt while entering Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Rice, 25, is suspended for the first six games of the 2025 NFL season for his role in a multicar crash in Dallas that left multiple people injured during the 2024 offseason.
Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges: collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years’ probation in July.
The wide receiver received deferred adjudication, meaning his case will be dismissed if he completes the probation.
Rice is eligible to return to action during the Chiefs’ Week 7 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 17.
“All I can do is focus on what I can control right now, and that’s me doing what I do best right here on the field,” Rice said in August, before his six-game suspension was handed down. “I learned just how valuable any opportunity and moment is. This right here, us being able to be on the field and be coached by Coach [Andy] Reid and have such a great quarterback, is honestly a gift, a blessing.”
He continued, “I’ve completely changed. Honestly, you have to learn from things like that. I’ve taken advantage of being able to learn from something like that.”
In a statement released by Rice’s attorney in July, the NFL star said he is “profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property.”
“Last March, I was involved in a high-speed accident in Dallas,” the statement read. “There have been a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages that my actions caused, and I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole. I urge everyone to mind the speed limit, drive safe and drive smart.”
Rice added, “I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families.”
Before pleading guilty, Rice also paid over $115,000 in restitution to the victims of the crash for their medical expenses.
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