Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes likens Rashee Rice to Super Bowl LIV teammate
Kansas City Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice is building in a positive direction and earning high praise from his starting quarterback in doing so. The second-round draft pick was one of the Chiefs' preseason Week 2 standouts, coming away with eight receptions on nine targets for 96 yards receiving. He's progressed throughout the offseason workout program […]
Kansas City Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice is building in a positive direction and earning high praise from his starting quarterback in doing so.
The second-round draft pick was one of the Chiefs' preseason Week 2 standouts, coming away with eight receptions on nine targets for 96 yards receiving. He's progressed throughout the offseason workout program and training camp, so much so that he's earning an increased number of opportunities with the first-team offense. It's abnormal for a rookie in the Andy Reid offense to see such early success at the receiver position, but Rice appears to be on track to break the mold.
Even with a dropped pass on the second play of the game, Rice has earned the trust of his starting quarterback.
“He has a good feel," Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes told reporters after the game. "We keep pushing him to be better and better. You see the talent. He makes a lot of tough catches. He had the drop early and he responded well. I think that comes with the jitters of being in your first few NFL games. But I have a lot of trust in him to make those catches in tough spaces. There’s just another playmaker that we have in this offense.”
Specifically asked about Rice's ability after the catch, Mahomes brought a unique comparison to the table.
“He runs physical," Mahomes explained. "I say he has a lot of what Sammy (Watkins) had when he first got here. Being able to catch the ball, be physical but still have speed and everything like that."
Rice forced several missed tackles on a catch-and-run against the Cardinals. That's certainly an aspect of his game that is reminiscent of Sammy Watkins. Back in the team's Super Bowl LIV season, Watkins had the seventh-most missed tackles forced in the league by a wide receiver.
The 23-year-old rookie still has plenty of growing and work to do, but through Mahomes' comments alone, you can clearly tell that he's on the path toward a great career in Kansas City.
"He’s going to be a great player for us, and we’re going to keep trying too push him and be getting better," Mahomes concluded. "Same with some of those other younger guys that we have.”
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Featured image via Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
