The Kansas City Chiefs are placing receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown on the Injured Reserve list.
Brown is likely out for the regular season and set for surgery on his injured shoulder. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid foreshadowed the news when asked about Brown during a press conference on Friday. “It’s not going to be weeks, more like months,” Reid told reporters.
Brown hurt himself catching a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the team’s preseason opener on August 10. Former Chiefs receiving Tyreek Hill suffered a shoulder injury in Jacksonville on an eerily similar play in 2019.
Brown signed a one-year, $7 million “prove-it” contract with the Chiefs this offseason following two subpar seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
When asked why he took a pay cut to sign with Kansas City, Brown was straightforward: “Pat [Mahomes] was a big part of it. Being able to play with Coach Reid in a winning culture.
“When the Chiefs are interested in you, you have to take a look at that,” he continued. “Of course, I can get some money elsewhere, but at the end of the day, it’s about winning. That’s what I want, and I feel like everything worked out.”
The 2019 first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens posted his best NFL season back alongside his childhood teammate Lamar Jackson in 2021, catching 91 passes for 1008 yards and six touchdowns.
Kansas City squeaked by Jackson and the Ravens in Week 1, outlasting Baltimore 27-20 as quarterback Patrick Mahomes leaned on second-year receiver Rashee Rice and rookie speedster Xavier Worthy.
The Chiefs will have to lean into their young threats going forward even more, as veteran tight end Travis Kelce caught only three passes and was heavily rotated. Reid seemed confident about the team’s group of pass catchers: “I think we’ve got some good guys at that spot. We’ve got some depth there and feel good about that.”
“Disappointed, frustrated, and sad was the first wave of emotions once I realized I would need surgery but that only lasted a day or so because Of my Faith in God,” Brown tweeted following the news.
The play that made Patrick Mahomes the Chiefs all-time passing leader 馃弳 pic.twitter.com/QNdFaRYRyJ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 6, 2024
“Knowing that this to shall pass, no matter the great opportunity I had in front of me. It’s not over and that’s not the path God wanted for me and I’m perfectly fine with that now.”
Brown may return in the postseason. Without him, however, Kansas City will certainly have a more difficult time locking up the top seed in the competitive AFC.
