Larry Johnson Released by Chiefs, Will Not Break Chiefs Record

Troubled Running Back Larry Johnson Has Been Released by the Kansas City Chiefs

Ryan Christopher DeVault
The Chiefs released Larry Johnson by cutting him from the team Monday. By releasing Larry Johnson, the Chiefs are basically stating that they have had enough of the antics of Johnson, and that they are done having him on the team. Larry Johnson is a running back in the NFL, who was quite a hot commodity when he came out of Penn State. Johnson was a college stand-out, once rushing for 327 yards in a single game, and that made him a first round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. At the time Johnson was an insurance policy for Priest Holmes, and now the Chiefs may be regretting that decision.

When Larry Johnson finally got the chance to be the full time running back for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005, he did not disappoint. Larry Johnson rushed for 1,750 yards and scored 20 touchdowns to become one of the best running backs in football. He followed that up with an impressive 2006 season as well, putting up 1,789 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. There was no doubt that Larry Johnson was a talented running back, but recently he has become enamored in controversy and the Kansas City Chiefs have had enough. It's not just the Chiefs management that wanted him gone either, as the fans of the team wanted in run out of town.

The most recent action that angered both the Chiefs and their fans was when Larry Johnson took to his Twitter account to insult fans and the Chiefs head coach. Using a gay slur that he would later repeat in an interview setting, Johnson had really crossed the line for the last time. Larry Johnson was suspended at that point, and saw his stock as a Kansas City Chief slowly diminish to nothing. Now that the suspension has been completed the Chiefs took the chance to release Johnson and move on as a team. It is the best for both parties involved, and now the Chiefs can move in a different direction from their former running back.

Larry Johnson may still be a talented running back that can succeed in the NFL, but he won't be doing it in Kansas City any more. He is being placed in the class that Michael Vick is a part of, where many people don't want to play with him, and many more fans don't want him to be a part of their team. That will definitely come into play if he shows interest in signing with another NFL team, and it could hurt the fan base of anyone that shows interesting in signing him. Larry Johnson will now fall short of being the all time leading rusher for Kansas City, and the fans could not be happier.

Sources:

Larry Johnson Released

Larry Johnson Statistics

Published by Ryan Christopher DeVault - Featured Contributor in Sports

Born in Seattle, Washington, I am a 31 year old college graduate working in the field of Education and Research. I am also a professional freelance writer and news content provider. I can be reached at...   View profile

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  • saul relative 11/9/2009

    I totally agree with this move. Although I believe in freedom of speech, there is something known as discretion. Candor is fine but civil discourse demands better of us all. Larry Johnson's candor, as pointed as it was and as directed as it was, got him this response by some of those he attacked. Nothing like honesty in communications...

  • Ben Wood 11/9/2009

    I have to commend the Chiefs on this move. Johnson may be talented, but his demeanor and character are not something the Chiefs need right now. Considering his declining numbers and off-field incidents, I'm not sure who will even be willing to pick him up, although I'm sure someone will. It just might not be this season.

  • Randy Inman 11/9/2009

    A pitty he turned into such a punk over the last few years.

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