KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes called him. So did coach Andy Reid. Brett Veach, the Kansas City Chiefs’ general manager, did, too.

Last week, during the first wave of NFL free agency, receiver Marquise Brown was courted by the Chiefs, pursued over and over, even as other unrestricted free-agent receivers signed lucrative, multiyear contracts with other contending teams. By Wednesday, Brown told his agent, Tory Dandy, where he preferred to start the next chapter of his career.

“When the Chiefs are interested in you, you’ve got to take a look at that,” Brown said Monday in his introductory news conference. “Of course, I could go get some money at other places. But at the end of the day, it’s about winning. I feel like everything just worked out the way it should. I want to win. I want to be a part of winning.”

The Chiefs, the league’s reigning back-to-back champion, have been interested in acquiring Brown since the spring of 2019, his draft year. Brown reminisced about that possibility Monday with Reid and Veach after he arrived at the Chiefs’ training facility to sign his one-year contract worth $7 million, with $4 million more possible through incentives.

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Five years later, and after playing for two franchises — the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals — Brown chose the Chiefs, becoming the team’s first major offseason acquisition.

“Pat was a big part of it, being able to play with (him), along with Coach Reid and a winning culture,” Brown said. “In the offense, I feel I can come in, help and fit in. All those things played a part. They were strong on me, so it was mutual interests and it was very appealing.”

Reid served as the closer in the Chiefs’ recruiting pitch to Brown.

“Hollywood, think Red today, KC Red with diamonds!!!” Reid wrote to Brown in a text message Thursday afternoon, including a winking-face emoji.

Brown agreed to his deal with the Chiefs late Thursday night and he immediately started ingratiating himself to the team’s fans. He streamed his happy reaction by singing and dancing to two songs: Fast Life Yungstaz’s “Swag Surfin’” (which has become the team’s hype song) and “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift, who is also tight end Travis Kelce’s girlfriend.

Hollywood brown is VIBING after signing with the Chiefs 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yMBq9r7r9W

— 𝓒hris ✞ (@SneedLockz) March 15, 2024

Brown and the Chiefs saw a partnership as a way to achieve their goals in 2024.

The Chiefs were desperate to add a veteran receiver who could be just as reliable as explosive alongside Kelce and second-year receiver Rashee Rice. With the Cardinals over the past two seasons, Brown produced 1,283 yards on 118 targets in 24 games. The last time the Chiefs had such a productive receiver in a two-year stretch was Tyreek Hill, whom they traded to the Miami Dolphins for five draft picks two years ago.

Reid and Veach have always valued speedy receivers. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Brown has plenty of speed to offer, too.

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Since 2020, he has reached 20 mph or more on 33 routes, the second most in the league behind Hill, according to Next Gen Stats. Last season, the Chiefs’ receivers — Rice, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Richie James and Justyn Ross — reached 20 mph or more on a route just five times, the sixth-fewest in the league.

Brown joining the Chiefs pleased Mahomes, who used his X (formerly Twitter) account Thursday night to post a beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes emoji.

“He just brings a ton of dynamic playmaking ability,” Mahomes said Saturday on ESPN. “Just being able to add a guy like that, who’s ready to come in and work and to be hungry, there’ll be a lot of throwing sessions in our future.”

You heard him. Let’s work @Primetime_jet 🤝 pic.twitter.com/BJ8YJvrB2H

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 18, 2024

The work between Brown and Mahomes will begin later this week. The new teammates are scheduled for their first passing-and-receiving session in Fort Worth, Texas.

“It just seems like he’s a guy that’s very passionate, and I’m a very passionate person,” Brown said of Mahomes. “He wants to win, do everything necessary to win and that’s somebody you want to play with. You want to play with somebody that’s going to bring the best out of you, that’s going to push your game to the next level. He’s definitely one of those types of guys.”

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Brown failed to match his career highs of 91 catches and 1,008 yards in his two years in Arizona. He was Cardinals’ leading receiver in 2022 but finished with only 51 receptions and 574 yards last season as quarterback Kyler Murray missed half the year recovering from ACL surgery. In a crowded market at his position — and with an impressive upcoming draft class of receivers — Brown wasn’t the most coveted player when free agency began. Darnell Mooney, Gabe Davis and Curtis Samuel each signed a three-year deal before Brown reached an agreement with the Chiefs.

“Brown has been productive in spurts, but his slight frame and lack of physicality on contested catches have limited his effectiveness somewhat,” said The Athletic’s Randy Mueller, a former NFL executive of the year. “When allowed a free release, he can be very dangerous. Playing with Mahomes, you know the opportunities will come. The rest is up to Brown. This could be a win-win.”

Showing @Primetime_jet his new home! pic.twitter.com/3Bg7aZK2KK

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 18, 2024

Brown, 26, will be tasked with generating better production than Valdes-Scantling, who had the worst season of his six-year career in 2023, producing just 21 receptions for 315 yards and one touchdown in the regular season. The Chiefs released Valdes-Scantling late last month, creating $12 million in cap space.

In Reid’s offense, where the receivers play interchangeable roles, Brown believes he can be a significant contributor in the short, intermediate and deep areas of the field. Brown’s skills should ease the burden on players such as Toney and Moore, both of whom struggled last season.

“I can move around and do different things,” Brown said. “I can stretch the field, and there’s guys here, Kelce, (running back Isiah Pacheco) and Rice and Toney. My game can complement the guys that they have here, and Coach Reid is a mastermind. I’m excited to work with everyone.”

The Chiefs will be thrilled if Brown can produce a season similar to his career best of 2021 in Baltimore. Brown also knows that would help him earn a contract next year similar to what Mooney, Davis and Samuel earned — and the deal could even be with the Chiefs.

“I still feel there’s a lot of my game that I really haven’t gotten to show people,” Brown said. “That’s what I’m excited about the most, to show what I can do. I know the caliber of player I can be.”

(Photo: Matt Kartozian / USA Today)