Today, again, people wonder how Holmes will come back from yet another knee injury -- the third of his college and pro career. While his medial collateral ligament sprain healed without surgery, the normally high expectations on one of the NFL's top running backs could be understandably reduced as he starts his ninth season, at the age of 32.
Such suggestions haven't made their way to Chiefs coach **** Vermeil.
Asked what he would like to see from Holmes this season, Vermeil may or may not have been joking when he answered, "Oh, about 2,100 yards and 29 touchdowns."
"He was on pace for those kind of numbers last year," Vermeil reminded reporters after watching Holmes running well for a second day Thursday at the Chiefs onfield coaching sessions.
Holmes' had a league-best 14 rushing TDs (and one receiving) and 892 rushing yards in 7 1/2 games last year. He had 215 total touches at the time of his injury, a workhorse pace that would have put him ahead of the 394 touches he had in 2003 or the 383 in his injury-abbreviated '02 campaign.
Can Holmes carry that same kind of workload in 2005? Should he? Is it time for the Chiefs to turn more to third-year youngster Larry Johnson, who had three 100-yard rushing games and one Franklin-level receiving game last year in Holmes' absence, as a means of taking some of the offensive burden off Holmes?
"I definitely don't think I'll see less (playing time)," Holmes replied Thursday when presented with that question. "Hopefully, we'll have him in some packages where we'll both be in the backfield at the same time, like I was with Ricky Williams (at the University of Texas). We could run in either direction and be aggressive with two guys."
At the same time, Holmes understands his playing career has limits, especially in the wake of yet another knee surgery. Giving Johnson more time in 2005 is something that would make sense for both players and the Chiefs in general, he acknowledged.
"I don't think I need a break, but having him in the backfield will be a positive thing for this team," Holmes said. "He was a 2,000-yard rusher in college, and he can still do that. Not only would that keep me from taking all those hits, but it would help him get ready to take over on this team.
"He's definitely the face of the future for the Chiefs. I'm excited to leave a legacy behind and leave him the torch."