After slowly returning from offseason shoulder surgeries, wide receiver Sidney Rice will play in his first preseason game for the Seattle Seahawks on Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach Pete Carroll told the media that Rice will finally hit the field after returning to full-contact drills last Tuesday.

WR Sidney Rice will play Friday, Pete Carroll said. #Seahawks

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) August 22, 2012

Rice had been participating in training camp for a while now, but the Seahawks will hope to keep him healthy in game action. Rice experienced a series of concussion problems last year and only played in nine games.

He was deactivated soon after playing his last game on Nov. 27 of last year, when overall he recorded 32 receptions for 484 yards.

Entering his sixth NFL season, the 6-foot-2, 202 pound receiver has 178 career receptions for 2,614 total yards, most of which came with the Minnesota Vikings. Rice has only had one 500-plus yard season in those years, but he was nearly on pace to have his second 1,000-plus yard season of his career before injuries derailed him.

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