Chiefs release Larry Johnson

The Kansas City Star

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The Chiefs released running back Larry Johnson on Monday, his first day back from a two-week suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

Johnson called out coach Todd Haley two weeks ago in a Twitter post before using a pair of gay slurs on his Twitter profile and, a day later, to a group of reporters. He missed Sunday’s game at Jacksonville, and the suspension cost him about $330,000. He also ended his Chiefs career 74 yards short of the franchise rushing record, set by Priest Holmes.

Johnson’s high point with the Chiefs was in 2006, when he established an NFL single-season record with 416 rushing attempts and a franchise single-season mark with 1,789 rushing yards. He was the Chiefs’ first-round selection at 27th overall in the 2003 NFL draft out of Penn State.

Last week, a petition came to light that was aimed at stopping Johnson from breaking Holmes’ record and had collected thousands of “signatures,” or users who submitted names in favor of preventing Johnson from becoming the most prolific rusher in Chiefs history.

The Chiefs were happy enough with their running game on Sunday without Johnson, as his main replacements, Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith, combined to average more than 5 yards a carry. However, the Chiefs gave them the ball a total of only 10 times in a 24-21 loss to the Jaguars.

Posted on Mon, Nov. 09, 2009 01:12 PM

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