Is Hollywood Brown playing vs Texans? Chiefs WR's status revealed for NFL Divisional game

Hollywood Brown is set to take the field against the Houston Texans this weekend in the Kansas City Chiefs’ first playoff game. Brown and Co. have their sights set on the Super Bowl, which would be the franchise’s third consecutive appearance. But first, they must face the Texans, who eliminated the LA Chargers last week.

Brown has been active for less than a month (since Dec. 20) but hasn’t played since Dec. 25, when the Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran wide receiver’s health was a significant concern during the regular season, but there’s no indication that it will be an issue for head coach Andy Reid and his staff now.

Brown is active for this game and wasn’t listed on the Chiefs' injury report. After being activated from injured reserve following a shoulder injury, he coincidentally made his return against the Texans.

Kansas City’s revamped receiving corps — featuring Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeAndre Hopkins — will pose a major challenge for Houston, especially after two weeks of rest leading up to this matchup.

What happened to Hollywood Brown?

After joining the Kansas City Chiefs from the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2024 NFL season, Hollywood Brown was expected to provide a reliable option for a team that struggled with wide receiver depth last year.

However, his tenure in Kansas City got off to a rough start when he suffered a clavicle injury on the first play of the preseason. Although the severity of the injury was unclear at first, it ultimately sidelined him for an extended period, leading the Chiefs to place him on injured reserve for much of the campaign.

With Rashee Rice out for the season and rookie Xavier Worthy struggling to adjust to the NFL, the Chiefs added DeAndre Hopkins to bolster their receiving corps and welcomed Brown back just in time for the playoffs.

Brown’s presence is crucial as Kansas City looks to defend its standing as a top contender. While the Texans may not seem like the most dangerous team, anything can happen in the NFL playoffs.

Should the Chiefs advance, they will face either the Baltimore Ravens or the Buffalo Bills in the next round. The stakes will only get higher for Hollywood Brown, especially against teams with such strong offensive units.

This game is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18, at 4:30 p.m. ET.