The Kansas City Chiefs are back on track following a Week 12 victory over the Carolina Panthers, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes delivering what could be his best performance of the season.
Despite a roster dealing with several injuries, the two-time NFL MVP threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon.
The positive developments don’t end there, as Kansas City’s injury situation is also looking up after a series of setbacks in recent weeks.
Halfback Isiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu are both showing signs of recovery, and now another key player who was expected to miss a significant portion of the season is reportedly aiming for an in-season return.
In a segment, “NFL Today” program titled “Eye on the NFL,” insider Jonathan Jones shared encouraging news about the Chiefs’ injured players.
He hinted that the team could be receiving a timely Christmas gift in the form of wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who might return before the year ends.
“Reinforcements are on the way to Kansas City,” Jones announced. “Expect running back Isiah Pacheco to return on Black Friday against the Raiders.
Pass rusher Charles Omenihu should be making his debut around then as well. There’s even a possibility that Hollywood Brown could be back on the field as soon as Christmas.”
Brown seems to be progressing well in his recovery, and his return to practice appears imminent, aligning with the positive update provided by head coach Andy Reid earlier in the week.
“[He’s] making very good progress,” Reid said of Brown. “I can’t pinpoint an exact timeline for his return, but he’s definitely eager to get back on the field, and I appreciate how he’s handled this whole process.”
It’s been a challenging few months for Brown, who signed a one-year contract with the Chiefs in March.
After suffering a sternoclavicular injury in the team’s first preseason game, the injury did not heal as expected, leading to surgery in mid-September.
Reid previously noted that Brown was “doing great” and “on schedule or slightly ahead of schedule” with his recovery, and it seems that progress continues.
If Brown is indeed able to return before the season ends, there are several possibilities for his reappearance. Based on Reid’s updates and Jones’s report, a return could happen as soon as the Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.
The Week 18 game against the Denver Broncos would offer more rest time due to a to-be-determined kickoff, or the team could choose to wait for the playoffs, which would give Brown more time to recover before the Wild Card or Divisional Round, depending on the Chiefs’ seeding.
In any case, there is growing optimism—though still cautious—that Brown could make his official Chiefs debut in a meaningful game as the postseason nears.
