The Kansas City Chiefs are bracing for the start of the season without their newly acquired wide receiver, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown. The former first-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens is expected to be out for 4-6 weeks due to a sternoclavicular joint dislocation suffered during the Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Brown, who signed with Kansas City as a free agent, had a promising start in the preseason game, making an 11-yard catch on the very first play. Initially listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, the true extent of his injury was later revealed. Brown was hospitalized for further evaluation, spending one night under medical care before being discharged. Fortunately, he has avoided the need for surgery.
The setback puts Brown’s participation in the regular season opener on September 5 in doubt. A similar injury was suffered by Tyreek Hill in 2019, which saw him miss four weeks of play. The Chiefs’ coaching staff, led by Andy Reid, will be vigilantly monitoring Brown’s recovery process. “I think he’ll miss some time. We'll just see where it's at,” said Reid.
Brown’s absence is a significant blow to the Chiefs’ offensive plans. Brown has an impressive track record, including a 1,000-yard season with the Ravens in 2021. In the 2022 season, after being traded to the Arizona Cardinals, he caught 51 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns over 14 games.
Brown’s role was set to vary within Kansas City's first-team offense, a unit he's already demonstrated chemistry with. His absence leaves a significant void that the Chiefs will need to fill as they prepare for incoming competitions.
Rehabilitation will play a critical role in Brown’s return. Conditioning and physical therapy will be pivotal as he works to regain full form. Kansas City’s medical and coaching staff will collaborate to ensure every step of Brown's recovery is carefully managed in hopes he can rejoin his teammates with minimal disruption.
In Brown’s absence, the Chiefs will rely on their depth chart to step up and make an impact. The coaching staff will likely experiment with different receiver combinations during the remaining preseason games to identify the best possible replacements.
For Kansas City fans and the organization itself, it’s a waiting game to see how soon “Hollywood” Brown can make a triumphant return to the field. The hope is that his absence will be short-lived and that he will soon demonstrate the kind of game-changing plays that earned him his nickname and reputation in the NFL.