KANSAS CITY — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice — once celebrated as one of the league’s brightest young offensive weapons — now finds himself at the center of a deeply troubling new chapter, as a civil lawsuit filed this week accuses him of repeated physical abuse against his former girlfriend.

The lawsuit, filed in Dallas County, Texas, by Dacoda Jones — who shares two children with Rice — alleges a long pattern of violent behavior over nearly two years, including episodes of choking, hitting, strangling and other acts that allegedly caused visible injuries. Many of the incidents occurred while Jones was pregnant, the legal filing claims, and she is seeking more than $1 million in damages for physical and emotional harm.

Rice, 25, has not been criminally charged in connection with the abuse allegations, and his representatives did not immediately respond to media requests for comment. The Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League say they are aware of the lawsuit and are reviewing the matter under the league’s personal conduct policy.

This civil case adds another layer of turmoil to an off-field narrative that began with a high-speed hit-and-run crash in Dallas in March 2024. Rice pleaded guilty to two felony counts tied to that incident — including collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway — and was sentenced to five years probation and 30 days in jail as part of a plea agreement. He also served a six-game suspension to start the 2025 NFL season.

Despite his legal and personal challenges, Rice remained on the Chiefs’ roster and contributed on the field, recording 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns last season. However, the new abuse allegations — combined with his past convictions — now raise urgent questions about his future in the league and the broader implications for player conduct, accountability and the treatment of intimate partner violence cases involving high-profile athletes.

As the civil proceedings unfold, the football world watches closely, grappling with how a player once revered for his athletic promise now faces a dramatic and deeply contentious chapter far beyond the gridiron.