Chiefs bring back wide receiver ‘Hollywood’ Brown on deal worth up to $11 million, AP source says

By Canadian Press on March 8, 2025.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back wide receiver Marquise Brown on a one-year deal worth up to $11 million, a person familiar with the contract negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized.

The Chiefs signed Brown to a similar one-year contract last season, when “Hollywood” Brown hoped he could parlay a big season with quarterback Patrick Mahomes into a lucrative long-term contract. Instead, he dislocated a shoulder joint on the first snap of the preseason, and surgery kept Brown out until Week 15 of the regular season.

Brown had nine catches for 91 yards in two games before sitting out the final week of the season. He added five catches for 50 yards in the playoffs, including two for 15 yards in the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

The 27-year-old Brown has been an exciting downfield option when he’s been healthy, but he has struggled with injuries during his six-year NFL career. Only once has he managed to play at least 16 games in a full season.

The Chiefs were poised to lose Brown along with DeAndre Hopkins, Justin Watson, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency, depleting a wide receiver group that they have been trying to build for years. The decision to sign Brown means they will have at least one veteran alongside young players Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice going into next season.

Worthy and Rice also are facing off-the-field problems that could play a factor in their availability.

Earlier Saturday, Williamson County (Texas) jail records showed that Worthy had been arrested on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded, or choking in common terms. His attorneys, Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett, said in a statement that their client was innocent of the charge against him.

The Chiefs told The Associated Press on Saturday that they were aware of the situation and still gathering information.

Under Texas law, impeding breathing means “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the person by applying pressure to the person’s throat or neck or by blocking the person’s nose or mouth.”

The charge is a third-degree felony in Texas, with a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison. Jail records showed Worthy had not yet posted bond by Saturday morning. The records did not have any details of the arrest or list an attorney.

Meanwhile, Rice is awaiting resolution of at least two civil lawsuits and numerous criminal charges after he admitted to driving a Lamborghini that was involved in a high-speed crash in March 2024 on a Dallas freeway.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Dave Skretta, The Associated Press