The Chiefs are 5-0, but the wide receiver room is still doing plenty to keep Kansas City on edge. Rashee Rice missed last week’s game, Tyquan Thornton may not be back until the playoffs, if at all, and that leaves the team thin at a spot that was already a concern before the season even kicked off.
So when a familiar name pops up, the temptation is obvious. Brett Veach has never shied away from bringing back former Chiefs receivers, whether it was Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster or Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Justin Watson was the latest example, returning to Kansas City after a little over a year away. Now Hollywood Brown is reportedly on the trade block, according to Jordan Schultz, and that kind of news is enough to get Chiefs fans bracing for another reunion.
It would be a mistake.
Brown has not done much with the Eagles this year, as he has no catches and has been active in just one of their six games. Trading draft picks to bring him back would be a hard sell, especially for a receiver who already had his chance in Kansas City.
Brown first arrived in 2024, but a preseason injury wiped out most of that regular season. He re-signed with the Chiefs in 2025 and finished second on the team in receiving yards with 587 and added five touchdowns. That production was useful, but it never turned him into the kind of go-to answer Kansas City needed when the offense was looking for someone to seize the moment.
The more encouraging story for the Chiefs came in their first game after the bye, when the offense had to piece things together without Rice and Thornton. Xavier Worthy, the last man standing from the original starting trio, came through with 73 yards on seven catches.
The depth options also made a case for more work. Rookie Cyrus Allen caught a 23-yard pass late in the game, Jalen Royals had an 18-yard grab, and Andrew Armstrong chipped in with a 13-yard catch. For a group that had to answer the bell quickly, that was enough to warrant another look.
That’s the bigger issue with a Brown reunion: it would push those younger receivers farther down the depth chart just as they’re starting to earn trust. If Kansas City has Allen, Royals and Armstrong on the roster, they should get the chance to keep showing what they can do when the offense needs help.
Mahomes has already spoken about the trust he has in Allen, and the rookie delivered with a big catch against the Chargers in a crucial moment. Royals and Armstrong also made themselves part of the conversation. With that in mind, it makes more sense to keep feeding the young receivers than to slide a familiar veteran back into the mix.
Veach will ultimately make the call he thinks gives the Chiefs the best shot at another Super Bowl run. But Kansas City has to avoid slipping into the old habit of grabbing former players just because they’re available. Brown is on the trade block for a reason, and last season already showed signs that he wasn’t the same player he once was.
The Chiefs should pass on Hollywood Brown and keep letting the young guys grow.
In Other News...
Chiefs Are Winning Ugly Again And That Could Mean Something
The Chiefs have spent most of 2026 looking more familiar in the one way that has mattered most: they keep finding a way to win the tight ones. After a bruising 2025 season in which close-game losses piled up and exposed issues on offense, defense and special teams, Kansas City has steadied itself by surviving a string of narrow finishes. The record does not suggest a team that has cleaned everything up, but it does suggest a group that has rediscovered how to handle pressure when the game tightens late.
Patrick Mahomes has remained central to that resilience, and Kenneth Walker has helped give the offense another layer as Kansas City tries to navigate the rest of the season. The early part of the schedule gave the Chiefs a softer landing, which matters when a team is trying to rebuild confidence after a bad year, but the path ahead looks far less forgiving. If the late-game formula is real, the Chiefs may be building something sturdier than a lucky run, and the next stretch will go a long way toward showing it. [Read more 🡒]
Former Chiefs Face New Setbacks As Familiar Names Fade Fast
Joe Thuneys first year away from Kansas City has been sturdy enough overall, but even solid veterans can feel the ripple effects of a new situation. After being traded to the Bears last offseason, Thuney has still been a dependable presence, yet he has also allowed more pressures this season, a downturn tied in part to the instability of playing at center. For Chiefs fans tracking familiar faces around the league, it has been a reminder that even proven names can run into fresh problems once they leave the familiar structure they knew in Kansas City.
The same theme has followed other ex-Chiefs in different ways. Trent McDuffie was inactive for the Rams in Week 6 because of a groin injury, while Hollywood Brown has rarely been on the field for the Eagles and has not made much of a mark when he has been available. Carson Steeles latest setback came quickly, as he left Week 6 early with a shoulder injury after his lone carry, another frustrating turn for a player still trying to find his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Mourn Allen Bailey After Tragic Death At 37
Allen Baileys death has added a somber note to the Chiefs week, with the former defensive lineman remembered as much for his presence in the locker room as for his work on the field. Drafted by Kansas City in 2011, Bailey spent years with the organization and left behind the kind of reputation that still resonates when former players are discussed around the team.
The news was first reported by his brother, who said Bailey was found dead at his home in Florida. No official cause of death has been released yet, leaving the Chiefs and those who knew him waiting for answers while they reflect on a career that clearly meant something to people inside the building. Andy Reid was among those who offered condolences, pointing to Baileys character and the impact he had during his time in Kansas City. [Read more 🡒]