Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is once again navigating through a storm of off-field legal trouble. On Wednesday, details emerged regarding a civil lawsuit filed by his ex-partner, Dakoda Jones, alleging a harrowing 18-month cycle of domestic abuse.
In a case that could significantly impact the future Chiefs’ season and Rice’s NFL standing, the wideout’s legal team has responded with a calculated defense centered on a previous legal document.
Allegations of an 18 month nightmare
Dakoda Jones, the mother of Rice’s two children, filed the $1 million lawsuit in Dallas County, Texas. The complaint draws a disturbing picture of their relationship from December 2023 through July 2025. According to the filing, the assaults occurred in the homes they shared in both Dallas and Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
The allegations include claims of physical assault, saying that throughout that time, Rice grabbed, choked, strangled, scratched, and head-butted Jones, as well as punching walls, breaking furnitire and throwing objects. She also adds that many of these violent incidents took place while she was pregnant and one night she was locked out of her home in the middle of the night.
The $1 million in sought damages is intended to cover the physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and the cost of medical care she has had to go through.
Rice’s attorney elaborates the defense
While Jones’s legal team has remained largely silent since the filing was made official, Rice’s attorney, Sean Lindsey, issued a composed statement pointing to a conflicting document from late 2025:
“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 and have no further comment at this time
This suggests a prior instance where Jones moved to de-escalate or dismiss potential criminal charges, a common but complex element in domestic violence litigations.
The Kansas City Chiefs issued a brief statement on Wednesday, noting they are “aware of the lawsuit and remain in communication with the National Football League.” Under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, Rice could face a significant multi-game or even indefinite suspension if the league determines his conduct violated their standards, regardless of the outcome of the civil suit.
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