Chiefs' Travis Kelce Draws Criticism After Wearing 'Free 4' Shirt in Support of Rashee Rice

Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton drew public rebuke after appearing at Arrowhead Stadium in shirts reading “Free 4” to show support for suspended Kansas City Chiefs teammate Rashee Rice, whose guilty plea and sentence in a 2024 high-speed, multi-car crash have prompted criticism from one victim’s attorney.

Rice, 25, pleaded guilty in July to charges related to a March 30, 2024 hit-and-run pileup on a Dallas-area highway. He was sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days of jail time, which a judge allowed him to serve at any point during the probation period. Rice also was ordered to pay $115,481.91 in out-of-pocket medical expenses to crash victims, and one claimant, Kathryn Kuykendall, reached a separate $1 million settlement in April with a court-appointed receiver.

Marc Lenahan, the attorney representing Kuykendall, told TMZ that Kelce and Thornton’s shirts were inappropriate given the severity of the crash and the unresolved financial claims. "I respect that Kelce and Thornton support their teammate, but the 'gym teacher' needs to talk with the history teacher," Lenahan said, referencing an online meme about Kelce’s recent engagement. Lenahan also criticized the players for treating Rice as if he were a political prisoner, saying, "Rashee isn't Nelson Mandela or Pepe Mujica."

Lenahan alleged, citing evidence he said existed in the case, that Rice was traveling at 119 mph in a rented Lamborghini and that the vehicle contained marijuana and a firearm. Those specifics were part of Lenahan’s comments to media outlets; the Dallas police investigation produced video that showed Rice leaving the scene of the crash and a warrant was later issued before he turned himself in. Rice was not charged on every allegation raised publicly, and Daily Mail reported it had reached out to Rice’s attorney for comment.

Rice has been suspended by the NFL and is serving a six-game ban; he has missed the first two games of the season as the Chiefs opened 0-2. He will be eligible to return in Week 7, when Kansas City hosts the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 19. Rice has said he is remorseful and that he has learned from the incident. During Chiefs preseason activities, Rice told reporters, "I've completely changed. You have to learn from things like that. I've learned and taken advantage of being able to learn from something like that. I feel 100%. I'm excited to be back out here with the guys."

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid described the shirts as an expression of team unity when asked at Monday’s news conference. "I would tell you, the guys love Rashee, and they feel for him sitting out here. And so I think it's no more than that," Reid said, according to The Athletic. "I just think that those guys, they love the kid and want them to feel part of it in their own way. I really don't think it's anything more than that."

Online reaction to the players’ gesture was sharply divided, with some fans and commentators saying the shirts minimized the victims’ injuries and the seriousness of Rice’s conduct, and others describing the display as typical locker-room solidarity. Video from the crash released as part of public reporting showed Rice leaving the scene without checking on other drivers; two people were transported to hospitals and two others were treated on-site for minor injuries.

Courts ordered financial judgments related to the crash, and Lenahan told TMZ his client had not yet received payment from the receiver overseeing Rice’s settlement obligations. The legal process for satisfying civil judgments and settlements can involve separate timelines from criminal sentencing and administrative league discipline.

The episode underscores continuing scrutiny of athletes’ conduct off the field and the tensions that can arise when teammates publicly support a suspended player. Kansas City’s on-field struggles early in the season have unfolded without Rice, and the team will face additional media attention as Rice’s eligibility to return approaches and civil remedies in the underlying case remain unsettled.