Kansas City Chiefs Star Rashee Rice Confronts Major Civil Lawsuit Alleging Domestic Assault
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is facing serious legal turmoil as a former girlfriend has filed a civil lawsuit this week accusing him of multiple assaults over a nearly two-year period. The lawsuit, filed in Dallas County, Texas, seeks monetary damages exceeding $1 million and paints a disturbing picture of alleged domestic violence.
Detailed Allegations of Physical Abuse Spanning Years
Dacoda Jones, who shares two children with Rice, alleges in the lawsuit that the NFL player assaulted her repeatedly between December 2023 and July 2025. According to court documents, Jones claims she was pregnant during many of these alleged incidents. The couple reportedly lived together in both Victory Park, Texas, and Lee's Summit, Missouri during this period.
The specific allegations detailed in the lawsuit include:
- Rice allegedly strangled Jones in December 2023
- Multiple incidents of grabbing, choking, pushing, throwing, scratching, hitting and headbutting
- Alleged use of inanimate objects to strike Jones
- Destructive behavior including throwing objects, destroying property, punching walls and breaking furniture
- Locking Jones out of their residence in the middle of the night
Social Media Revelations and Emotional Statements
Jones took to Instagram last month to share photos that appeared to show signs of physical abuse, accompanied by emotional statements about her experiences. In a since-deleted post, she wrote: "I'm so tired of keeping quiet. I'm so tired of protecting his image. I've been through too much in the span of 8 years and I've had ENOUGH! I've dealt with abuse for years."
She further detailed the challenges she faced after their recent breakup, stating that Rice allegedly left her and their children in Kansas, forcing her to beg for money to travel to Texas with their belongings. Jones expressed frustration with what she described as Rice's public persona versus his private behavior, saying she had protected his image for too long and was now focused on protecting her peace and her children.
Legal and Professional Consequences Mount for Rice
This civil lawsuit comes at a particularly difficult time for Rice, who began the 2025 NFL season serving a six-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. This suspension stemmed from his role in a multi-car crash in Dallas during the 2024 season that left several people injured.
The legal consequences from that incident included:
- Pleading guilty to two third-degree felony charges: collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury
- Receiving five years of deferred probation
- Serving 30 days in jail
- Paying over $115,000 in restitution to crash victims
The crash involved six vehicles, and Rice along with four friends reportedly fled the scene on foot without checking on the injured before police arrived.
Team and League Responses to the Allegations
The Kansas City Chiefs organization acknowledged awareness of the lawsuit in a statement Wednesday, confirming they "remain in communication with the National Football League" regarding the matter. The NFL itself stated that "the matter remains under review" as they assess the situation.
Legal representatives for Jones have declined to comment to ESPN, while Rice and his agents have not responded to multiple attempts for comment from both the Athletic and ESPN. It's important to note that Rice has not been criminally charged in relation to these assault allegations at this time.
Football Career and Performance Context
Despite these off-field challenges, Rice has maintained his position as a significant contributor to the Chiefs' offense. During the 2025 season, he caught 53 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns, with the team posting a 3-5 record in games where he appeared.
Over his three-season career with Kansas City, Rice has accumulated 156 receptions for 1,797 yards and 14 touchdowns across 28 regular-season games, including 20 starts. He played a role in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII victory, catching six passes for 39 yards in their overtime win against the San Francisco 49ers.
The lawsuit seeks damages for physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, medical expenses and loss of earnings. As this civil case progresses, it adds another layer of complexity to Rice's already troubled legal history and raises questions about his future both on and off the football field.
