July 18
Kansas City Star
columnist Yael T. Abouhalkah
"
No wonder so many professional athletes think they can get away with breaking the law. As The Star reported Saturday, KC Municipal Court Judge Joseph Locascio said Friday he was disappointed in former Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. Johnson failed miserably to follow court-ordered punishment meted out for his two convictions on disturbing the peace from 2008. Johnson didn't come close to completing the community service handed down by the judge. Yet Locascio refused to do anything serious to punish Johnson for flouting the court's rules. He let Johnson go, just as the pampered Johnson probably thought would happen. And this was after Locascio talked tough about how he had put other"
April 3
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"
I like what Mike Shanahan is doing in Washington right now-because he is engineering competition at the running back position. Earlier this off-season, Shanahan added former Chiefs and Bengals running back Larry Johnson. Yesterday, the 'Skins signed former Steeler Willie Parker to a one-year deal that reportedly will max out at $3.1 million dollars. The overall impact of both Johnson and Parker at this stage of their career is up for debate, and I even questioned the L.J. move previously because I don't see how his running style fits in the Shanahan scheme. With Parker, we will have to see what he can offer this summer when he puts the pads on, but there are doubts about his game as well."
March 14
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
columnist Matt Bowen
"
Now that former Chiefs and Bengals RB Larry Johnson is in Washington under Mike Shanahan, is there a plan for the Redskins backfield? This past week, I questioned the idea of bringing a player like L.J. over to Washington mainly due to his running style and the offensive system he is coming into. Johnson is a straight up and down runner, and when you have a player like that who is older, and on the downside of his career, it almost becomes target practice for safeties coming down as an eighth defender or a linebacker running through the hole. And, in Shanahan's system, will Johnson be able to generate enough quickness with his first step and get his shoulder pads squared to the line of"
November 10
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"
Before it even becomes a discussion, let's end this one. Yes, the Seattle Seahawks running game needs help. But, no, the Seahawks do not need Larry Johnson, the former Kansas City Chiefs standout who was released Monday morning. Johnson was cut Monday after Chiefs management ran out of patience. Johnson criticized Chiefs coach Todd Haley two weeks ago, then used a gay slur first on his Twitter page and then to a group of reporters. Johnson is a two-time Pro Bowl running back in 2005 and '06, but has a history of off-field problems that include assault charges and contract conflicts."