Chiefs have QB Patrick Mahomes and WR Hollywood Brown active for their matchup with Texans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was starting and wide receiver Marquise Brown was active for Saturday's game against the Houston Texans, giving Kansas City arguably its healthiest and most complete offensive lineup of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes watches play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)

Mahomes, who sustained a high-ankle sprain in last week's win in Cleveland, was expected to play after he was left off the final injury report. He had full week of practice and insisted that he would play unless he was unable to protect himself.

“And I don't want to limit the game plan. I think that's another thing for me,” Mahomes said. “I want to be able to still move around the pocket so we're not just sitting in one spot the whole, entire game and letting their D-line really get after it. It's about me finding that balance and seeing where I'm at.”

The Chiefs activated Brown from injured reserve on Friday, just over a week after the wide receiver returned to practice following surgery to repair a dislocated sternoclavicular joint in his shoulder. Brown sustained the injury on the first play of the preseason against Jacksonville, and the Chiefs initially were uncertain whether he would make it back at all this season.

Brown caught 51 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games with Arizona last season. He has 313 catches for 3,644 yards and 28 touchdowns over parts of five seasons in Baltimore and with the Cardinals.

“You're adding another guy that can stretch the field," Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. "I mean, Hollywood — that's been his calling card for a long time. So I think if he plays, it's just sort of another top-end guy that we have to account for.”

Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal was active after he was added to the injury report Friday with an illness.

The Chiefs were missing left tackle D.J. Humphries (hamstring) and safety Chamarri Conner (concussion), both of whom had been ruled out earlier in the week. The other inactives were offensive linemen Ethan Driskell and C.J. Hanson, defensive linemen Malik Herring and Marlon Tuipulotu and linebacker Joshua Uche.

Houston tight end Cade Stover missed his second consecutive game after having an emergency appendectomy last Saturday. He had been ruled out previously along with defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi (ankle), offensive lineman Juice Scruggs (foot) and wide receiver John Metchie III (shoulder).

Also inactive for the Texans were linebacker Devin White, defensive end Jerry Hughes and offensive lineman Nick Broeker.

Texans offensive guard Kenyon Green, who started the first nine games, was active after missing the past five because of a shoulder injury. So was linebacker Christian Harris, who did not practice Friday because of an ankle injury.

The Chiefs (13-1) already clinched the AFC West title while the Texans clinched the AFC South. Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed and first-round bye with a win coupled by a loss or tie by Buffalo in its game against New England on Sunday.

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