The Kansas City Chiefs have some very talented wide receivers on the roster, but they are about to add another weapon for Patrick Mahomes. Hollywood Brown has been cleared medically to practice, and the Chiefs will open his practice window on Wednesday.
In the first play of the preseason, free agent signee Hollywood Brown caught a pass from Patrick Mahomes and was driven into the ground; hours later, his 2024 season was in jeopardy. Though he tried to get back for the regular season opener against the Baltimore Ravens and was in the process of doing just that, he had a setback, and the Chiefs medical team felt surgery was his best option.
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he suffered a sternoclavicular shoulder joint injury that would put the Chiefs’ top free agent on the shelf and in full recovery mode. However, as others reported, he was lost for the season. ChiefsBlitz.com learned it was likely he would return in December.
Well, that time is now, as he’ll be on the practice field on Wednesday and has three weeks to be activated. While it’s unlikely he will play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns and a Saturday AFC matchup against the Houston Texans, he could likely get some snaps at Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.
That would make the most logical game for his return because the Chiefs will have eleven days before their season finale at Denver against the Broncos. It’s likely the Chiefs have wrapped up the AFC by that game. so Head Coach Andy Reid might rest him until the playoffs.
Either way, to his credit, Hollywood has taken the long road back, and I’m sure he feels both excitement and understands the opportunity to add another dimension to the offense. Though he’s had an impressive history of injuries, he never gave up on the chance to play again this season.
With Mecole Hardman undergoing successful surgery to repair his meniscus on Tuesday, the return of Brown could have a big impact on teams trying to defend the Chiefs passing game. Newcomer DeAndre Hopkins and veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster along with rookie Xavier Worthy, give Kansas City the best group of wide receivers in the NFL.
If you add tight ends, Travis Kelce and Noah Grey, running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, post season opponents will have tehir hands full stopping Mahomes and the Chiefs offense.
With the offense struggling, seeing how Mahomes can navigate all the personnel will be interesting. Further, how well Hollywood remembers all the work he did with his quarterback in the spring and summer before the injury stalled his 2024 season.
