Will Chiefs receiver Hollywood Brown make his KC debut vs. Texans? Here’s the latest
Kansas City Chiefs receiver Hollywood Brown appears likely to make his KC debut during Saturday’s home game against the Houston Texans.
Brown, who injured his shoulder in the preseason and had subsequent surgery to repair it, returned to practice Friday.
“He felt good,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday when asked about Brown going through drills last week. “He felt good, moved around well, took quite a few reps.”
A reading of the tea leaves provides the best indication that Brown could return Saturday.
Unprompted, when asked about Brown on Tuesday, Reid brought up that the team recently waived running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. There was no subsequent roster transaction announced Monday, and though Reid mentioned the team was “juggling” its injured players, the insinuation was that Edwards-Helaire’s departure could open up the spot needed for Brown to come off injured reserve.
Brown also participated in Tuesday’s practice at the Chiefs facility.
“I’m gonna play it by ear and see how we do here,” Reid said of Brown’s status. “And if he can go, he’ll play. If he can’t, then he won’t.”
During a preseason game at Jacksonville, Brown dislocated the sternoclavicular (SC) joint, which connects the sternum to the clavicle at the base of the neck. Reid compared the injury at the time to one former Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill suffered in 2019.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he liked what he saw from Brown on Friday.
“He got out there, and he was rolling around,” Mahomes said. “I think more than anything, it’s him getting back in football shape. I mean, it’s just different than training and stuff like that. And then him being able to feel confident enough to go out there and take hits ... which he’s been cleared to do.”
Reid reiterated that Brown’s shoulder wasn’t a concern now after months of recuperation.
“The doctors have really said it’s healed up nice and looks good,” Reid said. “So we’ll just see.”
Brown signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in March — the team’s biggest offseason move as it looked to revamp a beleaguered receiver position. Over the next few months, Brown was a standout in summer workouts and training camp, developing chemistry with Mahomes while also giving the team a reliable downfield threat.
Following Brown’s injury, the Chiefs have struggled to throw it deep in 2024. According to Next Gen Stats, Mahomes’ 6.4 air yards per attempt is the lowest total of his career, while he’s completed only nine passes of 20 air yards or more — a mark tied for 26th among 34 qualified quarterbacks.
Mahomes said this piece of Brown’s recovery was most about getting practice reps again with the offense.
“You don’t want to overdo it, but you want to let him go out there when he’s ready,” Mahomes said of Brown playing in games. “And hopefully that’s sooner rather than later.”
