Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice Honored with Chiefs’ Team Awards

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Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice Honored with Chiefs’ Team Awards
Mahomes and Rice were recognized for their respective seasons this week
Feb 29, 2024 at 02:40 PM
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Matt McMullen
Chiefs Reporter

The Kansas City Chiefs announced their annual team awards on Thursday as quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Rashee Rice were each honored for their respective efforts in 2023.

Mahomes was the recipient of the “Derrick Thomas Award,” which is annually presented to the Chiefs’ most valuable player. This marks Mahomes’ third time earning the award, which is named for the Chiefs’ legendary, Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker. Mahomes threw for 4,183 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2023 before leading Kansas City on one of the greatest postseason runs in NFL history, culminating in a second-straight world championship.

One of Mahomes’ top targets all season long was Rice, who was named the recipient of the annual “Mack Lee Hill Award” on Thursday. The honor – which is named in remembrance of the late Mack Lee Hill, a tailback for the Chiefs who tragically passed away during his second season with the team – is presented to Kansas City’s top rookie or first-year player.

Rice caught 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns last season before hauling in an NFL rookie-record 26 receptions during the postseason. Fifteen of those catches picked up a first down, including a 13-yard catch on third down in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII that extended Kansas City’s game-winning drive.

These awards were voted on by the players themselves, representing a true composite of how the locker room felt about Mahomes and Rice throughout the year. Indeed, both players contributed to another unforgettable season for Kansas City in 2023, and with another world championship in the books, these individual honors are more than deserved.