KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The NFL announced Friday that it concluded its own investigation into Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice, stating that he “has not engaged in conduct that violates the personal conduct policy.” The NFL also said its investigation into the accusations from Dacoda Jones, Rice’s former girlfriend, is closed.
At this time, Rice, 25, is not going to be disciplined by the league, which determined that “there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that he violated the personal conduct policy.”
“Mr. Rice wants to thank the NFL for their thorough investigation, and looks forward to the start of the 2026-27 NFL season,” Sean Lindsey, Rice’s attorney, said in a statement.
The Chiefs had no comment on the NFL’s decision Friday.
In early January, Jones posted photos on her Instagram account that show bruises and wounds on multiple parts of her body, alleging abuse for numerous years. Jones didn’t name Rice or anyone else in the post, but she says that the person who abused her is the father of her children. Jones has two children with Rice.
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In the since-deleted Instagram post, Jones wrote: “I’m so tired of keeping quiet. I’m so tired of protecting his image. I’ve been through too much in a span of 8 years and I’ve had ENOUGH!” She said she and Rice broke up in 2025 “and since then it’s been nothing but hell.”
Jones also filed a lawsuit in Texas in February, alleging Rice repeatedly assaulted her during an 18-month span from 2023 to 2025. She said she was pregnant during many of the alleged assaults. She is seeking more than $1 million. Jones also alleges that Rice strangled her in December 2023.
“Rice has grabbed, choked, strangled, pushed, thrown, scratched, hit, and headbutted Ms. Jones, as well as hit her with inanimate objects,” the lawsuit says.
In response to the lawsuit, Lindsey released a statement: “On October 9th, 2025, well after the parties’ relationship had ended, Ms. Jones stated under penalty of perjury in a sworn Affidavit for Non-Prosecution that ‘Mr. Rice and I had a verbal argument, but he did not punch me.’ We will allow the legal process to run its course.”
Following Jones’ claims, the NFL conducted its investigation.
In March 2024, Rice was the driver of a Lamborghini Urus SUV that was going 119 mph on Dallas’ North Central Expressway, leading to the multicar crash that left multiple people injured. Theodore Knox, one of Rice’s teammates at SMU, was the driver of a black Corvette. Rice, Knox and their three friends didn’t check on those injured, instead fleeing on foot before police arrived. The incident was captured on video, too.
Less than two weeks later, Rice took full responsibility and apologized in a statement he released before he turned himself in at the Glenn Heights Police Department after an arrest warrant was issued. In July, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation for his role in the crash. He pleaded guilty in district court to two third-degree felony charges — collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. He received deferred adjudication. The case will be dismissed if he completes the probation.
The incident led to the NFL suspending Rice six games last season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
In August 2025, Knox pleaded guilty to collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation. Last month, a Texas court issued a default judgment of more than $2.8 million against Knox. Rice’s case is scheduled to go to trial June 9.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter contributed to this report.
