What Brown Can Do for Chiefs: Why WR Can’t Wait

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Hollywood Brown’s name has nothing to do with movies or television. But the Chiefs are hoping he can help them return to the forefront of the entertainment business.

FOX play-by-play man Gus Johnson coined that nickname in 2017 while calling several of Brown’s games at Oklahoma. Marquise, the wide receiver’s given first name, just didn’t seem to adequately describe the sophomore’s ability to catch 77-yard touchdowns from Baker Mayfield.

Hollywood, Fla., not Hollywood, Calif.

So, Johnson chose Brown’s hometown of Hollywood, Fla. But since those explosive days with the Sooners – he posted 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns on 132 receptions over two seasons before Baltimore took him in the first round of the 2019 draft – his NFL career has scripted a lot of drama related to injury. The latest twist happened during the Chiefs’ seventh training-camp practice on July 29, when he injured his ankle. “Not again,” he thought.

“Of course. I mean, I'm human,” Brown said Tuesday. “But ultimately, like everything that I've been through, I never really get too or high too low. So, you know, that day, I probably was in my feelings a little bit that day, but moving forward, just went to attacking it.”

The Chiefs need him to attack the Chargers on Friday in São Paulo, Brazil (7 p.m. CT, YouTube, KSHB-TV 41, 96.5 The Fan). They’ll be down two wide receivers, starter Rashee Rice (suspension) and rookie Jalen Royals (ankle), so Brown’s contributions will be paramount.

That ankle injury robbed him of contributions during Kansas City’s entire preseason. He returned to practice Aug. 18, too late for the Chiefs to feel comfortable playing him in their preseason finale against the Bears.

Preseason hasn't been good to him

Preseason hasn’t been good to Brown since Kansas City first signed him as an unrestricted free agent in March 2024. He injured his shoulder at Jacksonville in his Chiefs preseason debut on Aug. 10, 2024, and subsequent surgery sidelined him for the first 15 weeks of the regular season.

He caught 14 passes, including five in the playoffs, but in the back of his mind, returning to full health and full potential for the first week of the 2025 season was always his goal. He’s been anticipating this week like one of those bombs from Mayfield during his college days.

“Yeah, definitely, for a while,” he said Tuesday. “Even before I got here, I didn't finish the season in Arizona. So, I feel like this is one of my first seasons in a while. That's what it feels like.”

He felt supported while he worked his way back from that ankle injury, too. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the organization were there when Brown needed them, just like last year.

“Everyone. I mean, last year was tough for me, mentally,” Brown explained. “So, this time around, leaned on my family, all my coaches, the chaplain, everybody, they was there for me. And, I feel blessed to be in this position.”

He’ll feel even more blessed if he can get into the end zone. His last touchdown reception was 677 days prior to Friday’s season-opener. It was Oct. 29, 2023, in Arizona against the team that drafted him, Baltimore – a 1-yard pass from Joshua Dobbs.

Brown is back, just in time.

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