Chiefs Acknowledge Domestic Violence Claims Connected to Wide Receiver the Athlete

The NFL franchise issued a statement Wednesday night indicating they are aware of domestic violence allegations made public in social media posts by a former girlfriend of wide receiver Rashee Rice and were in communication with the league office.

The organization did not mention the player by name in their statement and stated they would have “no further comment at this time”.

Allegations Shared on Social Media

Dacoda Nichole Jones, who likewise did not name the athlete by name, posted a set of images on Instagram that appeared to show signs of physical abuse. Jones did say the individual in question was the father of her children, and reports indicate she has two children with the football player, whom the team drafted in the second round.

Official Complaints Reportedly Unavailable

No official complaints were available in the Kansas City suburb where the incident is said to have taken place.

Player's Prior Off-Field Troubles

The receiver was absent for the first six games of this season due to an league-mandated ban for his involvement in causing a crash on a Dallas highway that resulted in multiple people injured. Rice was sentenced 30 days in jail and five years’ probation after entering a guilty plea to serious offenses.

On the field, he finished the season with 53 receptions for 571 receiving yards and five TDs as the Chiefs finished with a losing record and failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time in a decade.