ClutchPoints
Rashee Rice picked a brutal time to have a lapse. With the Kansas City Chiefs trying to claw their way back against the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football, Patrick Mahomes got exactly what he wanted on a pivotal fourth-and-4 from the Texans’ 41-yard line. The quarterback stepped up in a clean pocket, slid to his right, and fired a strike to Rashee Rice, who broke open underneath the sticks.
Texans take over after another 4th down stop!
HOUvsKC on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/lcwaDWkNC4— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2025
And then the ball just… hit the turf. The NFL’s clip of the play shows it clearly, one defender ripping at Rice’s hands after he dropped the catch, no awkward adjustment, just a catch he has to make in that spot. Instead, the drop turned the ball over on downs and handed the Houston Texans another momentum swing in a game where the Chiefs’ margin for error already felt tiny.
Fans were left in shock after witnessing the Chiefs offense fall apart. “Did the Chiefs equipment team grease ever offensive players gloves before this game what am I watching,” one fan commented in shock.
Andy Reid going for it on 4th for no reason pic.twitter.com/j6RwGRAjne
— Jakobius (@SamiusSt) December 8, 2025
Texans defense rn pic.twitter.com/Yz2SCYNhZ1
— Jrey (@johr3y) December 8, 2025
Kelce and Rashee Rice tonight pic.twitter.com/LJQ4kILKO4
— Leon (@AnkLe_BrEakEr56) December 8, 2025
The Chiefs’s WRs with the season on the line at home: pic.twitter.com/M8SDKJekV5
— MG121 (@MG121_) December 8, 2025
It only added to a strangely quiet night for Rashee Rice. After a couple of early catches, he faded from the box score and finished with a modest line as Patrick Mahomes spread the ball around and also dealt with pressure and miscues all over the field, including an interception to Kamari Lassiter on a deep shot.
Right after that, on the next play for the Chiefs offense, Mahomes threw a dart to Travis Kelce from inside his own end zone, and Kelce couldn’t make the catch. He juggled the ball, and it fell right into Azeez Al-Shaair’s hands for the game-ending interception.
OFF KELCE'S HANDS INTO AL-SHAAIR'S GRASP.
HOUvsKC on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/An7H5798nE— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2025
Another fan claimed it was time for Kelce to retire, “Kelce has genuinely been one of the worst TE’s in the NFL this season, the only reason he’s getting any receptions is because he’s being force fed targets due to the player he USED to be, bro needs to hang it up already.”
Kelce: I think I'll sleep on the sofa tonight pic.twitter.com/Apr0RDnJGP
— Christian Martínez (@christianmtzc90) December 8, 2025
Travis Kelce has butterfingers tonight! pic.twitter.com/4MklSgVOYi
— Big Pete NY (@BigPeteNY44) December 8, 2025
Refs to Mahomes and Kelce after...
