KANSAS CITY, MO -
The Kansas City Chiefs have told Larry Johnson to stay away, and many fans across the metro are saying "don't come back" after the running back made some inflammatory remarks about head coach Todd Haley and several anti-gay slurs to the media and others.
Johnson apologized for his words on Tuesday, but for some it's too little, too late.
"I think (the Chiefs) at a point where they've got to decide, we're losing with him, we can lose without him," said Soren Petro of 810 Sports Radio, who says that fining, suspending and even releasing the former Pro Bowl running back are options.
Johnson first made the controversial remarks on Twitter, where he ripped Haley's coaching background -- Haley went to college on a golf scholarship and never played college or professional football -- and made fun of a fan's picture, calling him "UR (gay slur) pic. Christopher Street boy."
Johnson then repeated the slur to the media the next day, following the Chiefs lopsided loss to the San Diego Chargers.
Haley refused to address the matter Tuesday, saying it was still being investigated.
"I'm just not going to comment any further because there is some stuff going on," Haley said.
Johnson, who turns 30 next month, signed a five-year contract extension in 2007 that included $19 million guaranteed and could be worth up to $45 million. The team could be checking to see whether Johnson violated contract provisions that would allow the Chiefs to cut him with reduced financial obligation.
Last spring, an arbitrator ruled that the Chiefs could release the running back and not owe him $3.5 million in guaranteed money because he had violated contract conditions by pleading guilty to disturbing the peace in another incident.
The issue became moot when the team elected not to cut him and until he began tweeting on Sunday night, the often-volatile Johnson had been on good behavior.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would have no comment pending the investigation.
Johnson, who needs only 75 yards rushing to become the Chiefs' all-time leader, apologized to Haley, the team, fans and the league "for the words I used."
"I regret my actions. The words were used by me in frustration, and they were not appropriate," he said through a spokesman. "I did not intend to offend anyone, but that is no excuse for what I said."
The apology sounded similar to one he made almost exactly a year ago after one woman accused him of throwing a drink on her and another said he had pushed her. The incidents happened separately in Kansas City nightclubs and led to his being sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace.
"I'm going to work to that point to get my life back on track and know that I and I alone put myself in these critical situations and environments to where things don't come out favorably to me," he said on Oct. 22, 2008.
At the time, Johnson was benched for three games by then-coach Herm Edwards and suspended for a game by commissioner Roger Goodell.
On Tuesday, Johnson apologized to "all the kids who view athletes as role models. I was not a good role model yesterday and hopefully I can become a better role model. We all make mistakes, and the challenge is to learn from them.
"I will do my best to learn from this one as I move toward becoming a better person, teammate, and member of the Kansas City Chiefs team and community."
Johnson's agent said all his client could do now was wait.
"It's up to the NFL to investigate it and see what they want to do, and we will respond accordingly," Peter Schaffer told The Associated Press. "We've apologized. Larry's trying to move forward. It is what it is right now."
Sarah Gillooly, of the Missouri gay rights group PROMO, said that she welcomes Johnson's apology.
"The same remarks that he used are the same words that we hear being used to taunt children in schools and on their local sports teams," said Gillooly. "Clearly the fans and the city and the youth in our community deserve an apology."
Some say that Johnson has run out of second chances in Kansas City.
"I think everybody loves to give a guy a second chance, but I think people feel that Larry in on his third, fourth or fifth chance," said Petro.
Drafted in the first round out of Penn State in 2003, Johnson was one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2005 and '06, rushing for more than 1,700 yards in each season. This year, like the Chiefs, he has struggled, averaging only 2.7 yards per carry.
Kansas City (1-6) has a bye this weekend.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Johnson apologized for his words on Tuesday, but for some it's too little, too late.
"I think (the Chiefs) at a point where they've got to decide, we're losing with him, we can lose without him," said Soren Petro of 810 Sports Radio, who says that fining, suspending and even releasing the former Pro Bowl running back are options.
Johnson first made the controversial remarks on Twitter, where he ripped Haley's coaching background -- Haley went to college on a golf scholarship and never played college or professional football -- and made fun of a fan's picture, calling him "UR (gay slur) pic. Christopher Street boy."
Johnson then repeated the slur to the media the next day, following the Chiefs lopsided loss to the San Diego Chargers.
Haley refused to address the matter Tuesday, saying it was still being investigated.
"I'm just not going to comment any further because there is some stuff going on," Haley said.
Johnson, who turns 30 next month, signed a five-year contract extension in 2007 that included $19 million guaranteed and could be worth up to $45 million. The team could be checking to see whether Johnson violated contract provisions that would allow the Chiefs to cut him with reduced financial obligation.
Last spring, an arbitrator ruled that the Chiefs could release the running back and not owe him $3.5 million in guaranteed money because he had violated contract conditions by pleading guilty to disturbing the peace in another incident.
The issue became moot when the team elected not to cut him and until he began tweeting on Sunday night, the often-volatile Johnson had been on good behavior.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would have no comment pending the investigation.
Johnson, who needs only 75 yards rushing to become the Chiefs' all-time leader, apologized to Haley, the team, fans and the league "for the words I used."
"I regret my actions. The words were used by me in frustration, and they were not appropriate," he said through a spokesman. "I did not intend to offend anyone, but that is no excuse for what I said."
The apology sounded similar to one he made almost exactly a year ago after one woman accused him of throwing a drink on her and another said he had pushed her. The incidents happened separately in Kansas City nightclubs and led to his being sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace.
"I'm going to work to that point to get my life back on track and know that I and I alone put myself in these critical situations and environments to where things don't come out favorably to me," he said on Oct. 22, 2008.
At the time, Johnson was benched for three games by then-coach Herm Edwards and suspended for a game by commissioner Roger Goodell.
On Tuesday, Johnson apologized to "all the kids who view athletes as role models. I was not a good role model yesterday and hopefully I can become a better role model. We all make mistakes, and the challenge is to learn from them.
"I will do my best to learn from this one as I move toward becoming a better person, teammate, and member of the Kansas City Chiefs team and community."
Johnson's agent said all his client could do now was wait.
"It's up to the NFL to investigate it and see what they want to do, and we will respond accordingly," Peter Schaffer told The Associated Press. "We've apologized. Larry's trying to move forward. It is what it is right now."
Sarah Gillooly, of the Missouri gay rights group PROMO, said that she welcomes Johnson's apology.
"The same remarks that he used are the same words that we hear being used to taunt children in schools and on their local sports teams," said Gillooly. "Clearly the fans and the city and the youth in our community deserve an apology."
Some say that Johnson has run out of second chances in Kansas City.
"I think everybody loves to give a guy a second chance, but I think people feel that Larry in on his third, fourth or fifth chance," said Petro.
Drafted in the first round out of Penn State in 2003, Johnson was one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2005 and '06, rushing for more than 1,700 yards in each season. This year, like the Chiefs, he has struggled, averaging only 2.7 yards per carry.
Kansas City (1-6) has a bye this weekend.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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