Saturday’s win over the Houston Texans on Saturday was quite meaningful for the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only did they take another step towards the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes also got to see Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in action for the first time this season.
The veteran wideout, seen as the team’s biggest offseason acquisition, played his first official game on the Chiefs uniform after suffering a sternoclavicular joint dislocation in the first game of preseason.
Brown was targeted eight times by Mahomes, catching five of those passes for 45 yards, including a fourth-and-one reception in his first touch. Speaking to reporters after the game, Reid highlighted that particular play, but he also warned Brown that he can’t expect to make all the plays.
“Yeah, he had the big fourth down one,” Reid said. “The great thing about all of those guys is they all want to play. And we just have one ball, so I tried to explain that to him. They all want to go make the play, and he’s like that. He loves playing and he knew he was doing well in there and just wanted more. He was feeling well, I should say not doing well, but feeling well.”
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) during training camp on August 2, 2024 at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, MO.
Reid’s warning makes sense, but Mahomes believes that the Chiefs are about to see a great version of Brown: “I thought he did a great job. I missed him here and there on a couple throws, but I thought he was getting open. He was winning against man coverage, which is huge. He’s a couple throws away from having a really, really big game. Just getting him in there and getting the football in his hands and getting where he can feel confident and running through tackles and stuff like that. I thought he did a great job of that, and we’ll get him involved more and more as the season goes on.”
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Chiefs recovering weapons ahead of 2025 NFL playoffs
Injuries have been a problem for Reid and Mahomes for much of the 2024 NFL season, especially on offense. In fact, the Chiefs are still missing key contributors in the final stretch of the regular season.
However, as the playoffs get closer, the team is recovering weapons. Shortly before Brown was cleared to return, Kansas City regained running back Isiah Pacheco, giving the team a stronger backfield with Kareem Hunt making a great impression in his second stint with the franchise.
Mahomes’ options with two wideouts still out
Wide receiver and return specialist Mecole Hardman is still on the sidelines, with his return date still unclear. Perhaps, in the event of a deep playoff run, the Chiefs recover the player who caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII.
Unfortunately, second-year wideout Rashee Rice seems to be done for the rest of the year after undergoing surgery to repair the LCL in his right knee. At least, Mahomes and Reid have alternatives during his absence. Apart from Brown, DeAndre Hopkins and Xavier Worthy are expected to be key targets in the postseason.
