Wide receiver Jason Brownlee got the short end of the stick as the Kansas City Chiefs welcomed Rashee Rice back to the team on Tuesday. Brownlee’s statement following the setback, however, made it clear that he has the right kind of mindset.

“My story is gonna end legendary,” he posted, with two brick emoticons indicating how he has built his career brick by brick and how he will do it again.

Playing for Southern Mississippi in his college days, Brownlee recorded 135 receptions for 2144 yards and 21 touchdowns. The NFL, however, has not been kind to him. Entering the league as an undrafted free agent, Brownlee initially joined the New York Jets. There, he logged just five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. He ended up spending the entirety of last season on their practice squad before joining that of the Chiefs in January.

He can make it back to it if he goes unclaimed on waivers. But as cruel as it may sound, the Chiefs’ decision to cut him made sense.

In five appearances this season, Brownlee didn’t log a single reception, rendering himself expendable in an already strong receiver room to which Rice is returning.

How the Chiefs’ receiver room fared in Rashee Rice’s absence

The league had suspended Rice for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges for his role in a multi-car crash in Dallas in 2024 that left several people injured. He was sentenced to probation and a short jail term before the NFL suspended him for six games.

Now, he is back and ready to go versus the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. However, coach Andy Reid, despite his excitement, couldn’t help but point out how competitive it is inside the receivers’ room.

“They’ve got a good friendship, which will be needed now,” he said. “Because we’ve got a lot of guys and only one football.”

Granted, the Chiefs had their fair share of struggles in Rice and Xavier Worthy‘s (missed 2 games through injury) absence. Even then, the numbers put up by Hollywood Brown, tight end Travis Kelce, and the resurgent Tyquan Thornton weren’t disastrous by any means. Brown posted 302 yards, 30 receptions, and 3 touchdowns in 6 games. Meanwhile, Thornton has 13 receptions for 272 yards and three TDs to his name. The aging Kelce, in fact, has been the pick of the receivers so far with 28 receptions for 321 yards and two TDs.

Even Worthy, since his return, has logged 13 receptions for 145 and a TD. Add Rice to this mix, and what you have is a receiver corps that’s as competitive from within as it is scary from the outside.