Although the Kansas City Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls, they have missed a consistent speed element at wide receiver since Tyreek Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2022.
Kansas City filled that void by signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to a one-year deal in free agency earlier this offseason. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid recently raved about Brown’s potential with his new team.
Is Hollywood Brown Poised for a Breakout Season in Kansas City?
Following an underwhelming two-year tenure with the Arizona Cardinals, Brown is looking to kickstart his career in Kansas City. He is already making a lasting impression on Mahomes, as the star quarterback praised the receiver on Thursday.
“He’s done a great job,” Mahomes said when asked about Brown’s progress. “It’s hard to learn this offense, and I feel like he’s done a great job picking it up very fast.
“Obviously, you see the ability,” Mahomes continued. “I mean, obviously I don’t know how he’s here in our place because of how talented he is. I can just see that it’s going to be a great season for him.”
Hollywood put on a show today 🍿 pic.twitter.com/Amy0fPXWjr
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 12, 2024
Brown is establishing a strong connection with Mahomes early in the offseason. The dynamic duo hooked up on several passes during practices at mandatory minicamp. Despite the addition of Xavier Worthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, Brown is in line for a major bounce-back campaign in Kansas City.
Reid has already witnessed Mahomes and Brown developing a special connection on the practice field. This will go a long way once the regular season comes around, as Brown’s speed and route-running ability will also open up opportunities for everyone else.
“As a coach, you look for the communication,” Reid said when asked about the duo’s connection and chemistry. “They’ve got a good connection. Once Patrick knows what Hollywood’s thinking, then that’s a good thing.”
Brown’s Contract Details
Brown signed a one-year, $7 million deal with $6.5 million guaranteed. However, Brown’s deal could be worth up to as much as $11 million because his contract includes up to $4 million worth of incentives.
According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, Brown’s deal includes $1 million in touchdown incentives, $1.5 million in playtime incentives, and $1.5 million in yards incentives. Brown is willing to bet on himself for one year in a much better situation with the Chiefs.
If Brown scores seven touchdowns, plays 75% of Kansas City’s total offensive snaps, and records over 1,000 receiving yards, he will reach all of the maximum incentives on his deal with the Chiefs.
Brown has played 75% or more of his team’s total offensive snaps in four of his five seasons in the NFL. He has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards just once and has hauled in seven or more touchdowns twice in his NFL career.
Revisiting Hollywood Brown’s NFL Career
Brown was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the No. 25 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was brought in to serve as one of Lamar Jackson’s top targets in Baltimore’s offense during the star quarterback’s first season as a full-time starter.
In each of his first three seasons in the NFL, Brown continued to improve and cemented himself as an ascending talent out wide. Yet, he was reportedly unhappy with his role in Baltimore’s offense and asked to be traded ahead of his fourth season in the NFL.
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Brown was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, where he was reunited with his former college quarterback Kyler Murray. Despite Brown’s experience working with Murray, the duo failed to live up to expectations in Arizona.
During two seasons with the Cardinals, Brown totaled 118 receptions for 1,283 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. After a hot start to his NFL career, Brown battled nagging injuries and seemingly regressed during his tenure in Arizona.
Now, Brown will look to re-establish himself as one of the top deep threats in the NFL. Given the situation that he is stepping into in Kansas City, it’s easy to believe that Brown will live up to his nickname once again with the Chiefs in 2024.