Ex-girlfriend Dacoda Jones on Monday sued Rice for alleged assaults over a span of 18 months between 2023 and 2025, seeking more than $1 million in damages for "severe and permanent injuries."
"Rice has grabbed, choked, strangled, pushed, thrown, scratched, hit, and headbutted Ms. Jones, as well as hit her with inanimate objects," the lawsuit says.
"Additionally, he has engaged in other violent and abusive behaviors towards Ms. Jones, including throwing objects, destroying property, punching walls, and breaking furniture, as well as locking her out in the middle of the night.
"Many of these behaviors occurred while Ms. Jones was pregnant."
Jones had previously posted photos of herself with a bloodied lip, scratches and bruises in a now-deleted Instagram post, which did not name her alleged attacker.
In a statement to ESPN on Wednesday, Rice's lawyer Sean Lindsey said Jones had previously given a sworn statement that Rice had not struck her.
"We will allow the legal process to run its coursę and have no further comment at this time," said the attorney's statement.
An NFL spokesman told AFP "the matter remains under review." The Kansas City Chiefs did not respond to AFP request for comment.
Jones has two children with 25-year-old Rice, a talented pass-catcher who won a Super Bowl in 2024 at the end of his rookie year with the Chiefs.
In 2025, Rice served a six-game suspension after his conviction for causing a multi-vehicle collision the previous year.
Rice pleaded guilty to felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury.