The worst-case scenario played out for the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Not only are they officially eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but they've also lost quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a torn ACL. Days later, the injuries keep piling up ahead of a Week 16 clash with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
According to Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, head coach Andy Reid said linebacker Leo Chenal (shoulder), cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee), right tackle Jaylon Moore (knee), wide receiver Rashee Rice (concussion protocol), RT Jawaan Taylor (triceps), and WR Tyquan Thornton (concussion) won't practice on Wednesday.
With the potential absence of Rice and Thornton, plus the questions surrounding Hollywood Brown after he was inactive for the Week 15 loss due to personal reasons, 2023 undrafted free agent Jason Brownlee could be in line to receive some playing time on Sunday.
Chiefs' Week 16 WR Questions Could Lead to Surprise Opportunity for Jason Brownlee
Brownlee entered the league in 2023 with the New York Jets, but only appeared in seven games and had five catches for 56 yards and one touchdown during that time. After being signed to the Chiefs' practice squad ahead of the 2025 season, Brownlee appeared in five games earlier this season, but was only targeted one time and did not record a single catch. Although he was demoted back down to the practice squad, he could certainly be a call-up candidate if the Chiefs are short-handed at WR.
Second-year receiver Xavier Worthy is the only starter on Kansas City's depth chart that is not listed as questionable for Sunday's game. Besides him, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Nikko Remigio, and Jalen Royals are the only other receivers listed on the roster, leaving at least one starting spot potentially up for grabs and making room for someone like Brownlee to receive some snaps.
Rice (571 yards, five TDs), Thornton (438 yards, three TDs), and Brown (494 yards, five TDs) are each in the top five on the team in receiving yards, so a potential absence of one or all of them would be another major blow. Other than Smith-Schuster, who has 304 yards and one TD, Remigio has one catch the entire season, and Royals has zero, so the door is certainly open for Brownlee to have a shot.
Considering he is already on the roster, Royals will likely benefit from the injuries if any of the three are unable to play. But with journeyman QB Gardner Minshew taking over for Mahomes and the Chiefs' playoff hopes dashed already, they may have no choice but to elevate Brownlee to the 53-man roster if the options are limited.
The 2025 season has been a huge disappointment for a Chiefs team that had won three straight AFC titles, only to miss the playoffs entirely and lose their star QB in the process. Now with a banged-up receiving corps and few options to turn to, Brownlee could help give Kansas City fans something to cheer about down the stretch if he can make the most of any opportunities on the horizon.