EGE: What It Means for Chiefs and Why It’s Important

“We know there’s one football,” Hollywood Brown said after Sunday’s 30-17 win over Detroit. “I mean, we got a lot of alphas in the room, and we understand, your week is different each week, but it don't change how you come to work. That don't change how you play. Play hard for each other and, EGE, everybody gotta eat.”

Everybody plus one

There’s another mouth to feed this week, with Rashee Rice fresh off his six-game suspension. But no one seems worried.

For the first and only time since the initial snap of the 2024 preseason, Patrick Mahomes will call a play with Brown, Rice and Xavier Worthy in the same huddle. Let’s just say he sees it as a good problem to have.

“I'm very excited,” Mahomes said, smiling. “I mean, I'll just leave it there.”

Andy Reid isn’t worried, either. That’s because NFL rules allowed Rice to return to team activities, minus the practice field, three weeks ago. That’s also when Reid saw the offense turn up a notch, coinciding with Worthy’s return from a dislocated shoulder.

“Getting 1 back was a big thing,” Reid said Sunday, referring to Worthy’s number. “Xavier brings a lot of energy, and he can do a lot of things for you. And then he has an attitude there that he brings.

“And getting Rashee back in the building, I also think was a big part. I think they felt that they were whole again, at least as a body there. So, that was a positive.”

Contagious across the offense

Another positive is that no matter who’s eating a certain week, the others know they’ll get their turn. And it’s not simply limited to Brown, Rice and Worthy. While Brown leads the team with 30 catches, Travis Kelce is actually the team leader in receiving yards (321).

And Tyquan Thornton, who emerged while Worthy was allowing his shoulder to heal, leads the NFL with a 20.9 yards-per-catch average. Thornton didn’t even catch a pass on Sunday night. JuJu Smith-Schuster is a respected clutch target on third downs and in the red zone.

“And they’ve got a good friendship,” Reid added Monday, “which will be needed now because we have more guys and we only have one football. You want them to help support each other and I think that ends up being important.

“JuJu has a big part in that. He’s a uniter, and he’s still a tough guy and all that bit that goes with it, and a good receiver. And he’s been around. I think he keeps it all together there.”

Meanwhile, Jason Brownlee cleared waivers on Tuesday. The Chiefs let him go to make room for Rice on the active roster. Brownlee is free to sign with any club and could return to the Chiefs as a practice-squad player as early as Wednesday.