Travis Kelce is underneath hearth after sporting a T-shirt supporting his suspended Kansas Metropolis Chiefs teammate, Rashee Rice.
Rice is at present serving a six-game suspension over his involvement in a March 2024 automotive accident in Dallas that left a number of individuals injured. In July, Rice, 25, was sentenced to 5 years’ probation and 30 days in jail after pleading responsible to 2 third-degree felony prices: collision involving severe bodily damage and racing on a freeway inflicting bodily damage.
Each Kelce, 35, and teammate Tyquan Thornton had been pictured carrying customized tees emblazoned with pictures of Rice and the phrases “Free 4” — a reference to Rice’s jersey quantity — on Sunday, September 14, forward of the Chiefs’ Tremendous Bowl LIX rematch in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas Metropolis’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Nevertheless, legal professional Marc Lenahan, who represents Kathryn Kuykendall, one of many individuals injured within the March 2024 collision, was not impressed by the Chiefs gamers’ clothes alternative.
“I respect that Kelce and Thornton help their teammate, however the ‘gymnasium instructor’ wants to speak with the historical past instructor,” Lenahan instructed TMZ on Monday, September 15, referencing Kelce and Taylor Swift’s latest engagement announcement, wherein the couple wrote through social media, “Your English instructor and your gymnasium instructor are getting married.”
In keeping with Lenahan, “Rashee isn’t Nelson Mandela or Pepe Mujica, males who fought for what they believed in.”
He continued, “Free Rashee? He already thinks he’s getting away scot-free. He’s not paid a single cent of the $1.1 million judgment he already owes our consumer, who resides something however pain-free,” referring to an April civil settlement between Rice and Kuykendall, who stated she sustained accidents when Rice’s rented Lamborghini struck the Uber she was touring in.
“Discuss [and] T-shirts are low-cost,” Lenahan stated. “If Kelce and Thornton actually believed in Rashee, they’d mortgage him the cash to pay his victims. However since they received’t do this, possibly they’ll a minimum of be higher function fashions by carrying a T-shirt with an essential public service warning: ‘Flee 4!’”
Us Weekly has contacted representatives for Kelce and Thornton through the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs communications staff for remark.
In August, Rice was suspended for the primary six video games of the brand new NFL season, together with Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Eagles. The huge receiver is eligible to return to motion throughout the Chiefs’ October 19 sport in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Following his legal sentencing in July, Rice apologized for his function within the incident. Prosecutors stated he drove 119 mph throughout the March 2024 incident and hit different autos.
“Final March, I used to be concerned in a high-speed accident in Dallas,” Rice stated in a press release via his legal professional. “There have been plenty of sleepless nights occupied with the damages that my actions triggered, and I’ll proceed working inside my means to ensure that everybody impacted can be made complete.”
The NFL star added, “I urge everybody to thoughts the velocity restrict, drive protected and drive good. Final and definitely not least, I’m profoundly sorry for the bodily damages to particular person and property. I totally apologize for the hurt I triggered to harmless drivers and their households.”
