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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid took to the podium on Wednesday, December 11, and gave a promising update on injured veteran wide receiver Hollywood Brown.
“He’s getting close. He’s chomping at the bit to get back out there, but he’s got to visit with the doctors and make sure he gets clearance there. But I’d probably say he’s getting close,” Big Red said of Brown during his press conference, via Jordan Foote of Kansas City Chiefs on SI.
Brown has been sidelined since the preseason with a sternoclavicular injury. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on December 1 that Brown was “expected” to be back soon, and if Brown got medical clearance from his surgeon in Week 15, “he could even play in Weeks 16 or 17.”
Brown’s return would be a big boost for Kansas City’s offense. Through 13 games, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is middle of the pack in the NFL in air yards (1,612, 15th) and yards per attempt (6.9, 23rd), according to FantasyPros. Brown, who excels in the intermediate to deep parts of the field, could help the Chiefs push the ball down the field and create more explosive plays just in time for the postseason.
Nate Taylor: Hollywood Brown ‘Expected’ to Practice in Week 15
The Athletic’s Chiefs insider Nate Taylor revealed the day before Reid’s presser while on “Only Weird Games” that Brown is “expected” to take to the practice field in Week 15.
“Hollywood Brown’s season started on Sunday,” Taylor said on December 10. “And the reason I say this is, he is expected to be practicing this week.”
If Brown starts practicing this week, that means the Chiefs will have opened his 21-day window to return from IR. He likely won’t be activated from IR in time for Kansas City’s Week 15 road game against the Cleveland Browns. But it’s possible he could return in time for the team’s final home game of the regular season in Week 16 against the Houston Texans.
X Users Reacted to Hollywood Brown Updates
Users on X, formerly Twitter, reacted to the updates from Reid and Taylor on Brown.
“Glad to see him getting back! This is of course great news, but if Mahomes is on the ground before the receivers take 2 steps, it doesn’t matter who’s out there,” one person wrote. “After almost every play when the camera shows Mahomes, he is getting up off the turf. Gotta fix that!”
“People will joke that it won’t matter because our tackles suck. But this is big,” another person wrote. “Look what Joe Burrow is able to do with no time to throw. Cincy line sucks. It’s because his 1, 2, 3 WRs would be 1s on almost every other team. Pat needs better 1, 2, 3. Hollywood is a 1, 2 or 3.”
“thing is people do not understand that the chiefs use regular season to practice, once the playoffs start, that Detroit scoring will be in Arrowhead,” another person wrote.
“Don’t rush him back though, sure seems it’s being rushed,” another person wrote. “Went from the whole regular season to being back weeks before playoffs?”
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Chiefs HC Andy Reid Says Injured Veteran Nearing Return: ‘Getting Close’