Hollywood Brown reportedly moving on from Cardinals, signs with Chiefs
Mar 14, 2024, 7:50 PM
Wide receiver Hollywood Brown is moving on from the Arizona Cardinals, reportedly signing a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Brown can earn up to $11 million on the deal.
Brown spent the final two seasons of his rookie contract with the Cardinals after former general manager Steve Keim swung a trade for the wideout during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In 26 games played, the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder reeled in 118 catches on 208 targets for 1,283 yards and seven touchdowns.
In his first year in the desert, Brown began the season as Arizona’s No. 1 option with DeAndre Hopkins suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
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Through those six contests Hopkins was sidelined, Brown racked up 43 catches on 64 targets for 485 yards and three touchdowns.
A fractured foot derailed his hot start, though, with Brown missing the next six games. He would eventually return for the final six games of the year but didn’t post the same type of production as he did pre-injury behind 24 catches for 224 yards.
Still, he paced all 2022 Cardinals pass catchers in receptions with 67.
Last season, Brown had to battle through inconsistent quarterback play to begin the year with Murray on the mend with a torn ACL. In the nine games before the signal caller’s return, Brown accumulated 42 receptions for 440 yards and four touchdowns.
Brown would end up getting five games with Murray back under center, catching nine of 24 targets for 134 yards, before a lingering heel issue that had impacted his production late in the year forced the wide receiver to the IR on Dec. 29, effectively ending his season.
Despite the missed time and quarterback carousel, Brown led Cardinals pass catchers in touchdowns with four.
“I got all the respect in the world for Hollywood. The worst part of football is injuries,” Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke the same day Brown was placed on IR. “When you’re a guy who runs a lot, taking that pounding on that heel, it’s a problem. We tried to string this out as long as we could and gave Hollywood every opportunity to get that heel in a spot where he could go out and help us and contribute. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get to that point.
“He made plays for us and there were times we couldn’t get him the ball, but he was there. He’s got ability, he’s proven it in this league. … Really a lot of respect for Hollywood and how he handled this injury and the way he tried to push through a difficult situation for him and the team.”
How many games has Hollywood Brown played alongside Kyler Murray in the NFL?
Of Brown’s 26 appearances in the desert, half came with Murray at quarterback as both dealt with their respective injury issues the past two seasons.
When healthy, the duo has linked up for 62 catches for 699 yards and three touchdowns, all of which came in 2022.
Before their time in the Valley, Brown and Murray amassed 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns during their time together at Oklahoma from 2017-18.
What’s next for Cardinals at WR?
Arizona’s wide receiver room is now vacant of a clear WR1. It re-signed Greg Dortch to go alongside Michael Wilson while the Cardinals reportedly signed former Tennessee Titans wideout Chris Moore to a one-year deal. Moore figures to help replace Rondale Moore, who the Cardinals traded to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Brown’s departure further fuels the speculation that Arizona will be looking to select a wide receiver with its top selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. At No. 4 overall, Arizona could go with Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. if he’s on the board or look to trade down a few spots before nabbing LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze.
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