Back in Week 4 of the 2024 season, Rashee Rice was on a tear—24 catches, 288 yards, and 2 touchdowns in just three games. Then came the Chargers game, where a freak collision with Patrick Mahomes during an interception return led to a torn LCL and hamstring damage in Rice’s right knee. It was a brutal blow, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Patrick Mahomes remarked, “When I saw the replay, I felt like sh– that I hit Rashee; I think that’s pretty much all I mean; I wasn’t worried about myself.” But Rice didn’t stay down for long. By March 2025, he was already sprinting in rehab drills, showing off his progress on social media and signaling a strong comeback ahead of the new season.

To make it more interesting, Mahomes was asked about his thoughts on Rice so far during their training sessions together. “The expectations are high. He looks really good,” the QB stated. Besides, the QB also noted that the third-year wide receiver is running routes and catching the football well right now. “I don’t know what he’ll be able to do when he gets back to OTAs, but he’s able to do everything here (in Texas).” Well, that sounds less thrilling and more tense, if we’re being honest.

Rice was supposed to take the WR1 role in the last season, but his gruesome leg injury had the other plans, and that season-ending blow turned out to be too much for Kansas City team to overcome. Add Hollywood Brown’s injury to it, and it and it turned the Chiefs’ passing game into something straight out of The Walking Dead—limping, lifeless, and constantly under attack.

But now Rice is all set to enter the third season of his career, the Chiefs’ QB has high expectations from his WR1. Before an injury sidelined Rice in the last season, Rice had 79 receptions for 938 yards, and racked up 7 touchdowns. Now that Rashee Rice is on track to return, Hollywood Brown’s locked in for another year, and Xavier Worthy’s gearing up for his sophomore run, Mahomes isn’t sweating that Super Bowl loss anymore.

He’s already got his eyes on next season. “I’m pretty motivated anyway, but when you get some of those tiring reps, you have that bad taste in your mouth from the last time you were on the football field. It gives you that push to prove what you’re all about,” Mahomes said on Wednesday to media. And when we talk about the next season, Mahomes has just one mantra. “The Goal is to try to get to some of the explosive plays we’ve had in the past.”

To get some explosive plays, Mahomes need offensive weapons in his arsenal. Especially in the Chiefs’ wide receiver room.

Patrick Mahomes sees a clear path for Hollywood Brown

After signing a one-year-deal with the Chiefs last season, Hollywood Brown was supposed to bolster the Chiefs’ wide receiver room. Confident with his WR, Patrick Mahomes, the 2024 offseason, getting comfortable with Brown. Then the 27-year-old WR suffered a shoulder injury during the first preseason game and the team sidelined him indefinitely for the 2024 season

But Brown did come back, played a couple of games, had 91 yards, and wrapped up his first regular season with the Chiefs. But that doesn’t mean Brown was going to make the defenders silly in the postseason. Oh no. The guy played three games and amassed just five receptions for 50 yards. Now that he signed a one-year contract extension with the Chiefs, Mahomes believes that Brown’s role on the Chiefs’ O-line will expand.

“His role will expand even more. You can see when he gets the ball in his hands, he makes that offense go,” Mahomes said. No doubt. Even though Hollywood Brown had a couple of underwhelming season before his shoulder injury. But the Chiefs are hoping that the wideout will pull out his 2021 magic when he had 91 receptions for 1,008 yards, and racked up 6 touchdowns in Baltimore.

“I was happy to have him (Brown) back at the end of the season, and for him to get back within the offense. I think now, with him hopefully having a offseason and training camp and staying healthy and continuing to grind through, his role will expand even more,” Mahomes said about Brown. With Rice and Brown’s return, and Xavier Worthy set to enter his sophomore season, Patrick Mahomes’ squad is stacking up real nice. Looks like the offense is gearing up to level up big time.