Some Kansas City Chiefs fans and media members have blamed general manager Carl Peterson for superstar running back Larry Johnson’s lengthy holdout. Other’s have blamed L.J.
If you ask me, we should all stop playing the blame game because this ended up being a win-win situation for both the Chiefs organization and Johnson.
Even owner Clark Hunt is behind blame here. Sometimes I’ve felt that he and Peterson have done just enough to continue selling out the seats. When you look at what the Chiefs have spent on Arrowhead rennovations, extensions (Damon Huard, L.J. and Tony Gonzalez) and free agent signings (Damion McIntosh, Donnie Edwards and Napoleon Harris), it’s hard to argue that they are spending the cash necessary to field a competitive team. You can’t really call them the Cheaps any longer.
Additionally, Carl did a helluva job keeping the amount of money L.J. is scheduled to receive reasonable. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes right now, but Adrian Peterson — yep, the talented rookie RB who was alway hurt in college — received more guaranteed money before he ever recorded one measly NFL rushing attempt. Two other rookies — offensive tackle Levi Brown and wide receiver Calvin Johnson — received way more money overall.
Will Johnson be the highest-paid running back in the NFL until someone else lands a bigger contract? Yes, but keep in mind that: A.) The best RB in the league, LaDainian Tomlinson, got way more money overall a few years back; B.) L.J. has came out of the gate just about as good as any NFL RB in the history of the game during his first two-and-a-half years of actual playing; and C.) Considering that he willed the Chiefs into the playoffs last year with his 416 carries, he has been grossly underpaid. There are guys who made way more than Johnson last year, who couldn’t even will themselves to make a play or two (ex-Chief Eric Hicks, for example).
Johnson is well worth the money, and he absolutely had to holdout to get what he deserved. This is especially true after the paydays other NFLers have received this offseason. He runs as hard and as effectively as as any back in the league, plus he shows up every single Sunday. He knows that NFL RBs don’t last forever, so he got his payday while he could. Can’t blame the man for that.
Applaud L.J. for taking less money to stay here as well. I’m positive there’s some franchise out there that would have given Johnson a record contract (Green Bay maybe?). He wanted to stay in Kansas City.
Johnson also should be applauded for getting into football shape before arriving, even though he was away from the team. Priest Holmes has been back for like three or four weeks now, yet hasn’t taken a hit. L.J. started taking contact today. Priest wants that L.J. money, but he’s not prepared to take the punishment L.J. absorbs. If anyone wonders why I love L.J. and am so hard on Priest, go back and read the previous sentence. I was even kind enough to bold and underline it for you.
All parties involved should also be commended for sparing L.J. the extra mileage training camp and the early preseason would have put on his tires, yet still getting him signed early enough to be at full strength for the season opener. L.T. hasn’t taken a preseason carry so far either — Johnson will be just fine. In fact, I think he was better suited working out in Arizona preparing his body for the long haul.
Everything worked out perfectly and everybody — save for a few delusional fans and out-of-touch sportswriters — is happy. The Chiefs best player has a new contract which satisfies him without breaking the bank, and he’s already looking good. Maybe we do have reason to remain optimistic after all.
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ok hold on now, you shouldnt just start bashing holmes… they wont let him on the field.
and yes we have a great running back in LJ… but I want to know what he can do behind this new ummm, o-line…. If people thought he did alot last year with the line looking like it has… even with a lighter load he will have to be working his tail off
They won't let me onto the field either, Redbeard – know why? Because I'm a fat, out of shape guy who would also take LJ's $19 million. The difference is that Priest Holmes is a professional athlete whose grand comeback mostly took place in his dreams, while I'm more suited for fantasy football. If he wanted to have really been a part of this team, we woulda seen a guy so in shape that he'd have been ready to walk from the PUP list to the starting spot. Point is you earn the reputation that you create for yourself. Sorry Priest, you're more dead to me than Fredo Corleone.
If Priest was that serious about being a Chief he would travel with the team and be a TEAMMATE! Did anyone see him last year at a single Chiefs game? But he was still being paid by the Chiefs….
the team wont *ALLOW* him too, thats the point, until carl or mr hunt ok it he stays at home… what earning of rep…??? they didnt give him the go ahead from the doctors till now…geeeeeze, man this is why tabloid(new york style jaba the whitlock journalism)pisses me off… I didnt hear people cry last year when it took so long for the docs to *ALLOW* green back,… oh wait a minute they did cry about it. but it still goes back to the docs and then the managment… and I dont think priest cares what anybody really thinks…he never has and neither does LJ and Zach, that may be what you would do but why would he at this time… they told priest that when the docs ok'd him to come back then do so… and now that he got that and came back they tell him he cant play… this is like work when somebody gets hurt and the boss says we will find something for you… then you go back and they fire your butt…anyways and as someone said above… priest didnt come back asking for money… he still works and upholds his word with the contract he signed…
and LJ isnt our best player…. sorry guys… maybe I'll change my mind when he breacks 1500 yards behind this new spectacular O-line… but i dont think he will….
I didn’t say really much about him not playing. I was talking about him as a teammate. He doesn’t support his teammates at all. It has always been Team Priest for Priest.
Why wasn’t he in KC all last season helping his teammates get better and encourage them onto win? He was getting paid, shouldn’t he have to be apart of the team?
Thats all I am saying about Priest. He WAS great, but he is selfish. He only is trying to comeback because he doesn’t want that contract to end. Thats the nature of the business, he is trying to keep the money he signed because all you get is your guaranteed money!
haha good to see the man beast got paid. LJ is going to tear up this season, even with the new o-line. Show all those nay-sayers who didnt think he should get paid. Did anyone see what Tiki Barber was doing in his last season? (with a sub par gaints o-line) Expect big runs from #27. Hes going to be bringing the pain!!!
tim we can only hope…for now…
Why is everyone hating on our offensive line? Two of our starters(Terry and Mcintosh) are injured. Reports(probably biased) of our O-line when Mcintosh was there is that they were WAY better than they were last year. Probably not like the 2003 Chiefs, but I would argue that few(if any) lines in NFL History can match that one. I think KC fans have just become spoiled because of that level of talent throughout the vermiel era.
The talent that Vermeil wasted…
waisted for sure…lolwe finally get the reciever we needed six years ago……………… now!!!… and what we really need now is at least one tackle… at least one. I am not hating on the o-line I am just saying the team will go as far as the o-line takes them… the chiefs run the football, they like running the football… even with di**less vermon at the helm *WE RAN THE BALL*… threw it alott but it came off our running game….. even before we had vermiel we ran the damned ball… how far back do you have to go to find a terrible o-line??? maybe at the end of Alts run at left tackle… but guess what they actually drafted linemen…if they want to win now then they should have drafted a lineman to help what people say is our best player…that makes since to me