The high-speed fallout from a 2024 Dallas street race continues to haunt Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice. While the NFL star fights to keep his career on track, the legal system has just handed down a massive financial blow to the man behind the wheel of the second vehicle. A Texas judge has ordered Rice’s co-defendant to pay millions in damages, signaling a similar fate for Rice in his upcoming multi-million-dollar civil trials.

According to the ESPN report, the court has ordered former SMU cornerback Theodore Knox, who was driving the Corvette involved in the race with Rice’s Lamborghini, to pay $2.88 million. This decision came from a lawsuit brought by Kathryn Kuykendall, one of the victims of the crash, adding more legal troubles related to the multi-car accident.

The verdict by Judge Kim Bailey Phipps came as a default judgment after Knox failed to adequately respond to the litigation. In her ruling, Judge Phipps described Knox’s actions as “very careless” and “grossly negligent.” This is a third significant judgment against Knox, bringing his total owed to various victims to approximately $6.5 million.

“We’ve asked the court to grant the default judgment because we’re ethically required to as a matter of diligence,” Kuykendall’s attorney, Marc Lenahan, said. “Personally, it pleases us that Teddy hasn’t made further mistakes that we’re aware of. If a team gives him a chance to prove that he’s walking the right path now, we’ll be rooting for him.”

The roots of this legal tussle date back to April 2024 on North Central Expressway. According to investigators and video evidence:

• Rashee Rice was driving a leased Lamborghini SUV at a staggering 119 mph.
• Theodore Knox was driving a rented Corvette at 116 mph.
• The resulting collision involved several vehicles and left multiple bystanders injured.

After the crash, both drivers and their passengers just drove away without checking on the victims. However, the entire incident was caught on video, which later became key evidence. Both Rice and Knox eventually pleaded guilty to charges tied to the incident. Knox received 30 days in jail along with five years of probation for his role in the crash.

Soon after the incident, SMU suspended Knox, and he is no longer listed on the team’s roster, leaving his football future uncertain.

On the other hand, Rice managed to stay in the NFL. However, his career with the Chiefs is also in doubt, as this legal battle is not ending with this.

Rashee Rice’s upcoming trial now shapes Chiefs’ outlook for 2026

While Knox faces financial penalties, Rice is looking at a high-stakes civil trial set for June 9, 2026. This trial is particularly critical for the Chiefs’ star, as he is viewed as the primary target due to his significant NFL earnings and potential for a massive contract extension.

Meanwhile, Rice has made a notable change, switching his legal team in the middle of the case. Royce West and Craig Capua have left, and Thomas M. McMurray has filed to take over. This shows that things are changing as the trial gets closer.

Because of this incident last season, the league suspended him for six games due to a violation of its personal conduct policy, and that issue is still a concern for Chiefs fans.

On the field, though, Rice wasted no time reminding everyone of his value once he returned from suspension in 2025. In just eight games, he led the Chiefs’ offense with 53 catches for 571 yards and five scores.

Therefore, the team will need him available from Week 1. But his legal situation does not end there, as Rice continues to deal with multiple legal challenges.

Beyond the June trial, there’s another case related to the same incident. Plus, a different lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Dacoda Jones, seeking over $1 million for alleged abuse between 2023 and 2025 adds uncertainty about what lies ahead for him.

While the NFL recently cleared Rice of further discipline regarding the Jones case due to insufficient evidence, the civil suit remains active.

For now, the Chiefs will likely wait and watch, hoping he can steady things before considering any long-term commitment, even as his legal timeline stretches into the coming months.