Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown is a veteran in the league but started last season, his first with the Chiefs, on the injured list. Brown speaks on his excitement for the game in Brazil on Friday. By Dominick Williams
A little over a week into Chiefs training camp, with the calendar still reading July, receiver Hollywood Brown went up for a contested catch in the end zone but landed awkwardly and suffered an ankle injury.
In a bit of pain, Brown immediately had some flashbacks to last preseason, when a rare clavicle injury during the first play against the Jaguars cost him nearly the entire season.
“I’m human,” said Brown on Tuesday. “But ultimately, with everything that I’ve been through, I never really get too high (or) too low. After that day, I probably was in my feelings a little bit, but moving forward, just went to attacking it.”
Attack he did.
Following the injury, Brown entered rehab with Kansas City’s training staff. He also found comfort by tapping into his already built-in support system.
“Last year was tough for me mentally, so this time around I leaned on my family, on my coaches, chaplain, everybody,” he said. “They were there for me, and I feel blessed to be in this position.”
Brown sat out the rest of the time in St. Joseph, returning to the practice field in Kansas City on August 17. Showing caution against any potential setbacks, head coach Andy Reid held Brown out of every preseason game, and now the seventh-year receiver feels 100% entering Friday night’s opener against the Chargers.
“He’s done everything,” said Reid of Brown’s practice week. “He looked good out there running around. He just needs to get in the game and play, but as far as practice goes, he’s done everything.”
Providing a peek behind the scenes, veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster praised the grit his teammate showed to put himself in this position.
“He’s a guy that you can see that he’s put in a lot of work,” Smith-Schuster said. “He came into camp and dealt with a couple of injuries here and there, but his mindset didn’t change. He focused on the main goal — getting back. That’s something he’s been doing.
“He just comes out, works every day, makes some crazy one-hand catches … and yeah, that’s Hollywood for you.”
With Rashee Rice suspended and rookie Jalen Royals still healing from knee tendinitis, Brown’s availability on the field has grown even more important. His speed, alongside that of Xavier Worthy, should stretch defenses, opening up space for tight end Travis Kelce and Smith-Schuster.
“Man, (Brown) means a lot,” said Smith-Schuster. “He’s a guy who’s a deep threat — a guy who knows defenses so well, he plays good. He brings energy to our room, and not only that, but to our offense. It’s very explosive, and he’s part of that explosiveness.”
Brown managed just five appearances last season (regular season and playoffs combined) due to his shoulder injury. Friday night presents a long-awaited fresh start that ought to be considered more than a year in the making.
“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,” he said. “That’s what it feels like.”