20:41: Schefter provided an update tonight that Brown had arrived back in Kansas City after being released from the hospital near Jacksonville where he spent the night. Schefter added that Brown’s status for the Chiefs’ regular-season opener against Brown’s former team, the Ravens, a day after his diagnosis, was still uncertain at this time.
8:17 am: Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown suffered a a dislocation of the sternoclavicular (SC) joint in his left shoulder during yesterday’s season opener against the Jaguars, according to ESPN’s Adam Teicher. The 27-year-old receiver was hospitalized because, as ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell writes, an SC joint dislocation can be particularly serious because it can affect important blood vessels. Fortunately, Brown was released from the hospital this morning and is able to return to Kansas City, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Hollywood” suffered the injury on the first play of the game when he caught an 11-yard pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes before he was attacked and landed unluckily on his shoulder. Serious injuries to key players in exhibition matches always raise eyebrows, but head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy wanted the Chief to gain some live-action experience as quickly as possible in his first year.
The Chiefs’ disappointing WR unit was a big issue for the club last season, and while they ultimately earned a Super Bowl victory despite the struggles of some of their best receivers, they made a big effort this offseason to give Mahomes a more explosive arsenal. That included signing Brown, whose speed and running ability are reminiscent of a weaker version of the former Kansas City star. Tyreek Hill.
Interestingly, Nate Taylor of The Athletic (subscription required) reminds us that Brown’s injury is similar to the one Hill himself suffered in the 2019 season opener (also against the Jaguars). Hill ultimately missed 34 days, and Taylor says the injury requires surgery, which carries a recovery time of four to six weeks. That time frame would force Brown to miss the season opener against the Ravens and also jeopardize his availability for KC’s next two games.
Despite Brown’s speed and ability to take off, he never averaged particularly good yards per pass, only breaking the 1,000-yard mark once in his five-year career. Of course, he played in run-heavy offenses in his first three seasons in the league as a member of the Ravens — which prompted him to request a transfer from Baltimore — and in his final two years with the Cardinals, he played with seven different quarterbacks while dealing with some injury concerns.
His limited performance in the desert dampened his market in the offseason, and he ended up signing a one-year, $7 million deal (plus up to $4 million in incentives) with Kansas City, which is a good place for a talented receiver to play out a pillow contract given the presence of Reid and Mahomes. Brown and Mahomes had reportedly built a strong rapport over the course of offseason practices and training camp, a connection that will now be put on hold for a while.
First round rookie Xavier Worthyanother speed player, will be more in demand in Brown’s absence. The Chiefs expect the second-year pro Rashee Ricethe club’s top receiver in 2023, is set to be suspended in the offseason due to legal issues, but it remains to be seen when that ban will be imposed.
