[Editor's note: We previously characterized the Chiefs' action against Johnson as a suspension. We're told that it isn't, and that he agreed to stay home until the ongoing investigation regarding his comments is completed. Though it's arguably a matter of semantics, neither the team nor the player view the action as a suspension.]
Well, the apology was apparently too little, and too late.
The Chiefs have announced that running back Larry Johnson has been sent home.
“The Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League are continuing to investigate the alleged comments made by Larry Johnson,” the statement from the team says. ”Until that review is complete, the Chiefs have instructed Larry to refrain from practicing with the Chiefs or participating in other team activities. A decision regarding Larry’s status will be made once the investigation has concluded.”
Johnson used the term “fag” in communicating with one of his Twitter followers, and Johnson said to reporters Monday, “Get your faggot asses out of here.”
But before the Chiefs or the league decide to take serious action against Johnson, both the team and the folks at 280 Park Avenue should consider that former Lions CEO Matt Millen twice called Johnnie Morton a “faggot” after a game in 2003 — and that no action was taken against Millen, who like Johnson publicly apologized.
Then again, if coaches who break jaws (accidentally or otherwise) will be treated differently than players who punch other players, it should be no surprise that Millen got a pass, and that Johnson might find himself losing a game check or two.
Pioli to stop the Payola.
The Chiefs are gonna tank now. Bye bye playoffs.
Oh. Wait.
Johnson reportedly will be mandated to complete “Bob Griese’s Cultural Sensitivity Training” workshop before returning to the team.
Each team should be able to do what they wish regarding use of language they deem unacceptable. It shouldn’t matter what the Lions did or did not do. the Chiefs are a completely different organization. The NFL as a whole should stay out of it.
No, No, No… Millen said “maggot”. Fast Johnnie Morton, smooth as a MAGGOT! (That’s my story, and I’m STICKIN’ to it… J. Jones would write “two” it). Millen later apologized for Johnnie being called fast, as Al Davis pawned him from the Raidahs to the Cubs, er, I mean Lions!
oops once again Johnson has suffered from what i call Diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain. I guess for him his brain is in a constant state of constipation.
Since he is of British ancestry he was obviously talking about a cigarette..
You can temporary insanity to plead in cases…what about post game frustration??? Granted you dont have to twitter, but what ever happened to freedom of speech? Is Johnson supposed to sit there and be bad mouthed by punks who cant play the game???
The Chiefs should trade him to the Raiders for a 1st rounder
Why not just do this as an update instead of a whole new blog? Needing the hits again perhaps?
Florio, Millen’s comments were made while Tags was the commish. Now with, Roger “the hammer, take the NFL overseas, Goodell, we have a new environment. Not quite sure what the new environment is, but it’s new.
And here come the bigots to defend him
Would Johnson have faced the same wrath had he changed his wording to “get your asses out of here you bunch of pillow biters”
Personally I would have gone with “get your asses out of here you bunch of fanzanoons!”
It’s all in how you say it…
Is it time for Larry and the Chiefs to go their separate ways? He’s not performing well for them, and they could probably absorb the cap hit this year.
No Homo!
This is insanity. Perhaps I’m way out of touch, but is calling somebody a fag really that bad?
I’m not condoning it or apologizing for Larry Johnson. I think it says a lot about Larry Johnson. I think it even says something about his alma mater.
And its the option of the Chiefs and the league to do something about it. It just seems like this isn’t even in the same league as a DUI, or taking a cheap shot at a guy trying to receive a punt way before the ball is near him. I’d even consider urinating in public or getting into a scrap with the cops a lot worse than calling somebody a fag.
Sticks and stones, and all that.
Millen has pictures of owners doing inappropriate things that is why he was able to stay in Detroit forevah.
Your dad may have played for the coach in Remember the Titans, but you’ve just been forever linked with disgraced former NFL executive Matt Millen. But you apologized, so ESPN should be calling anytime to bring you on board as a guest analyst.
So, because the league screwed up in 2003, it should screw up now? Mike, you’re not making any sense.
Florio, just tell us if he is going to play for the cheifs because I need to know if I should I pick up Jamal Charles for my fantasy team? I have LT and Gore starting, I dont have any room for him but could be good trade bait.
This is just so freaking over the top. Yeah… it shows LJ is kind of a doofus and lacks any class… bfd!! What a shock! A spoiled athlete whining and projecting his insecurities on others when things aren’t going well… I’m stunned!!! But a possible suspension? Since when did calling someone something derogatory qualify for a couple hundred thousand dollar fine (assuming he’s suspended and has to give up a game check). Meanwhile, killing innocents while driving drunk (Leonard Little?) or killing dogs means the league will embrace you again (granted, those guys were out a bit and lost tons of money, but what the hell is going on when name calling warrants similar (if less severe) treatment)? Good thing the NFL doesn’t allow on the field microphones sensitive enough to capture trash talk between players–they’d have to suspend the entire league for the name calling going on. Just ridiculous. Grow a freaking spine and build a personal boundary. It only says something about the person hurling the insult–nothing about the people targeted.
Carl Peterson….the gift that just keeps on giving
Good to see Chef fans with a sense of humor.
Now the Raiders might win that game in Oakland.
I smell 3-13 around the corner. Hopefully Davis will trade down and get more pick for 2010 draft.
The funny thing about the Millen incident is that the article says that “this could be the last straw” for Millen. Guess he had an additional 5 years of straws left.
While on the subject, could you please remove those ads of the guys with ripped abs from the site? I can’t take my eyes off of them and it makes me feel very uncomfortable about my own sexuality.
The NFL has no laws
Against coaches who break jaws
“I dont understand, I agree with Larry J, those fags need to go kill themselves…”
-Tony Dungy
You people kill me, there is not a person in the world that has not used that word at one time or another and anyone who tells you they have not is a lier.
People should get off their high and mighty ways and worry about what is going on in their own life, I am sure if they look they will be plenty to clean up.
This country is headed down the shitter and it has been headed that way for awhile now and people are becoming way to soft. If they would tend to their own business rather than trying to live in everyone elses back pocket maybe the US slide down the ladder might stop.
“It shouldn’t matter what the Lions did or did not do. the Chiefs are a completely different organization.”
Well……in some ways.
Florio, One thing to consider with the Millen incident, this was before Roger Goodell became commissioner. He has obviously shown that he will not be held to his predecessor’s lack of discipline.
Florio, what is it and mentioning The Raiders in every post you put up? You have a serious hard on for them. This story is about the chiefs and LJ sick to the story.
Is calling somebody a “fag” better or worse than confusing Mexican and Colombian cuisine? (If there is such a thing as Colombian cuisine…)
@philthylush, “what is it and mentioning The Raiders in every post you put up?”
Mentioning the Raiders brings hits to your site, the Raiders although horrible are a global product, the fan base is probably the largest. Check out all the Raiders stories on here and the comments sections always have the most entires. Love em’ or hate everyone loves to talk about them. Which is why the NFL is better when the Riaders are good.
I am surprised that I am the first person to point out that a suspension involves a loss of pay, while just being sent home does not.
Put simply suspension = loss of $$$, where as going home = $$$ for nothing.
Either way we are about to find out whether LJ’s tweets about how the haters can’t stop his checks are really true or not.
What’s the big deal? My Grandma used to call the two guys that lived down the street fags. She was a God fearing woman.
They are just sending him home now?
Judging by his 2009 stats, I thought he went home after week 1.
yeah, what topcide said.
sure many of us have used that term before, but if we were vocal about using it at work or printing it permanently on a site like twitter for all to see, we’d be fired and our asses would be on the street so fast as well.
i don’t think drawing comparisons to millen is fair either. the NFL should have punished millen – the fact that they lapsed on reprimanding millen doesn’t mean they should not reprimand LJ here.
I gotta say, if I were the Chiefs I would be more angry about him trashing the coach than using the word fag. It is not about being politically correct and language, it’s about being detrimental to the football team undermining the coach and his authority.
Stop before we start hearing from the ACLU, Al Sharpton and eveyone that owns a rainbow flag.
It is about football.
mike s says:
October 27, 2009 2:12 PM
This is insanity. Perhaps I’m way out of touch, but is calling somebody a fag really that bad?
mike s,
Yes, you are way out of touch and, yes, it really is that bad. If I called someone that name in my place of work, I’d be severely reprimanded. So, should LJ be.
And, please, everyone stop with the “whatever happened to freedom of speech?” BS! Freedom of speech gives people the right to say what they want without the GOVERNMENT stopping them. That doesn’t mean your workplace can’t tell you what not to say, and pretty much every working person in the country faces this.
I guess the First Amendment got suspended before LJ. Why the hell are we so friggin “PC”. There are worse things being said in the world. Someone in KC should grow a pair.
Is AP going to be in trouble with the league for Gay bashing?
Gee, I thought Johnson was talking about that little green guy that runs on the field for Notre Dame.
Why the focus on the “Fag” aspect of things?
Johnson called out his coach publicly. That is what you call conduct detrimental to the team. That is why he should be suspended.
But lets be serious about this, this isn’t about using the word “Fag”, this is really about dissing the coach and the organization and for just being a general idiot.
If Matt Cassell was recorded calling someone a fag, no action would have been taken.
@East Bay Ray
My point is this:
Calling someone a fag, or calling a bunch of people fags, is not nearly as bad as driving drunk, getting into a physical altercation, causing someone physical harm.
I think there are quite a few workplaces where the term fag gets thrown around cheaply. I think that it gets thrown around in every locker room of every professional sport.
It reflects badly on Larry Johnson. It reflects badly on the Chiefs, and it reflects badly on Penn State*. How bad? He said something under his breath to reporters. He said something on his Twitter feed (who gives a rat’s ass what goes on with Twitter?) That’s not real smart, but its not like he was making a statement like “All fags are going to hell. I’m Reggie White and I approve this message.”
(I just can’t help but go for the gratuitous digs in on Penn State.)
Roger Goodwill should issue the following statement:
Larry Johnson will be sanctioned. Respect for the inherent dignity of all human beings is paramount.
If we can prevent but one flaming member of the homosexual community from being forced to come out of his Special K fog, to have to come up for air to utter a sperm-burping hissyfit in response to this callous, reductionist slander, then it will have been worth it.
My, my. I guess it’s just not true, for some cultures, like the homosexual one, that “sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me”. Now I can see that their fragility certainly does require the extra protection and care of the thought police, tort chasers, and heck, even my little old grandmother, to keep them safe and warm in their comfy, tushy, er, cushy cocoon. Why, it’s really grand that that formerly brutish pro football culture has taken up with the proper sensitivities and correctness to do away with the really important ugly life issues, like name calling–and while we’re at it, like having to tolerate that awful person, Tush, er, Rush, Limbaugh. And it isn’t really dreamy–just like their sweet new singing commercials– that so many of these former brutes have turned such a new leaf and are actually wearing pink all over, and thereby having a really turdy, er, sturdy effect on breast cancer. I’m just so proud of this new NFL. They’re just so in tune with the right thinkers, who have FINALLY started to get this hateful nation on track.
My, my. What an education it’s been, just watching them!
A lot has changed since 2003. In a relatively short time, people are recognizing that insulting and ridiculing gay people, or any group of people, for being who they are is just not an acceptable thing to do in our society. It also always amazes me when members of one historically oppressed minority group (such as in Johnson’s case, being Black), use epithets and display blatant prejudice and hatred toward other historically oppressed minority groups (again in his case, Gay/Lesbian people). Obviously the irony of his actions and words is lost on him.
I can also say that as a gay person, anyone calling me a fag would be instant fighting words, and my response would be an immediate fist to the face no matter who it was.
If an offended gay person were to hit someone, could he be viewed as a Fag basher? I can never keep up with this stuff.
I always thought it was spelled “fagat.” huh.
In a relatively short time, people are recognizing that insulting and ridiculing gay people, or any group of people, for being who they are is just not an acceptable thing to do in our society.
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About ten years ago, when I was working for the Humane Society, the Humane Officers removed dogs from their owners when they posted photos on the internet with them performing various acts of bestiality. The animals were returned to their owners, and no charges were filed, because the DA determined that no crime had been committed.
Could I gather from your post “any group of people, for being who they are…” that this DA was progressive and ahead of his time? The answer was right in front of me and I let my bias get in the way. Thanks for clearing this up for me.
Hopefully, this incident will spark a discussion among players and fans about homophobia in sports. Do any of you have ANY idea what it is like to be a gay athlete? To be constantly surrounded by deragatory, gay-bashing locker room talk? It’s no wonder that gay individuals are at much higher risk for suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.
This deragatory stereotyping has got to stop, and apart from the current discussion, it must first start within the gay community. LOGO Network’s show “Rick and Steve” is an prime example.