KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs will open the season next Thursday without one of their key offseason additions.
Head coach Andy Reid told reporters Friday that wide receiver Hollywood Brown won’t play in the team’s season opener at 7:20 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“Hollywood won’t be back this week," Reid said. “The kid is amazing. His progress has been incredible.”
Watch Reid's full comments on Brown's status below.
Brown suffered a sternoclavicular injury on the first play of the Chiefs preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 10. Reports at the time listed his recovery time at four to six weeks.
News that Brown will be unavailable for the season opener caps a busy week for the team’s wide receiver group.
Earlier this week, the team reunited with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster was part of the club’s 2022 Super Bowl-winning roster before he signed a multi-year deal with the New England Patriots.
The Patriots parted ways with Smith-Schuster earlier this off-season, opening up the chance for him to come back to Kansas City.
Reid said Friday that Smith-Schuster could see action in the season opener, which can be seen in Kansas City on KSHB 41.
“We welcome JuJu back with open arms,” Reid said. “He’s healthy and ready to go. He looks great.”
The status of fellow wide receiver Rashee Rice became clearer earlier this week when the NFL announced that it would continue to allow the legal process play out involving Rice before determining what, if any, suspension might be warranted.
Rice faces several criminal charges connected to a street-racing crash earlier this year in a Dallas suburb.
In a conference call Thursday, league officials said they are closely monitoring Rice’s case but that, “We don’t anticipate he’ll be placed on commissioner’s exempt unless there is a material change in the case.”
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