Despite a win over the Los Angeles Chargers that led the Kansas City Chiefs to a 4-0 record, most of the discussion surrounding the reigning back-to-back champions revolved around the health of second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice. The Chiefs’ No. 1 receiver was carted off the sideline because of a knee injury he suffered when he and quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted to make a tackle after an interception.

After reports on Sunday night indicated that the team feared Rice would suffer a torn ACL, ending his season, the Chiefs got their first glimpse of cautiously promising news on Monday afternoon.

Adam Schefter appears on NFL Live ESPN provided the first bit of optimism about Rice’s status.

“Here’s what we know now,” Schefter said. “We do know that Rashee Rice will miss an extended period. We don’t know yet that the cruciate ligament has been torn. He continues to undergo testing and there is no confirmation yet that he has ruptured as the Chiefs feared. in the locker room after the game after beating the Chargers. Again, it will be a serious knee injury, but they hope it isn’t as bad as they feared. He still needs to be tested.”

While Schefter notes that even in the best-case scenario, Rice could be expected to “miss an extended period of time,” that is wildly optimistic compared to Sunday night’s reporting. After the game, several insiders, including Schefter, reported that the team feared the worst after an initial look at Rice’s knee.

“Chiefs WR Rashee Rice is feared to have suffered a torn ACL during Sunday’s game against the Chargers,” Schefter wrote on Twitter/X on Sunday evening. “Additional testing will take place to confirm the initial diagnosis.”

Based on initial reports, anything other than a season-ending injury would be a positive outcome for Rice and the Chiefs.

Read more: Chiefs vs. Chargers Snap Counts: Who did KC rely on after Rashee Rice Injury?