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Per the Kansas City Star:
"LJ appears to suffer setback in practice
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
Chiefs notes: Claim on tackle; Turley on IR
Time is running out for Larry Johnson to fulfill the pledge he made to teammates shortly after breaking a bone in his foot.
Johnson told many of the other Chiefs that he would return to play before the season was finished and now has but two games left to make good on it.
Johnson received a heavier workload in practice Wednesday than he has since the injury in early November. Johnson shared the first-team snaps with Kolby Smith and appeared as if he was preparing to play Sunday against the Lions in Detroit.
But about halfway through practice, Johnson headed for the sideline and spoke with one of the trainers, careful the whole time not to put weight on the injured foot.
He then left the practice field and didn’t return.
That left his status muddled in all sorts of mixed signals.
“I don’t know if it was a setback,” coach Herm Edwards said. “We’ll find out (today) and the next day.
“He got a little sore. I’ve got to see where that’s at. He’s limited right now and I’ve got him questionable.”
Smith, who had to share the first-team snaps with Johnson for the first time since he became a starter last month, said he was planning on sharing them with Johnson on Sunday, too. He even took exception to a comment that he was the one doing the sharing.
“With him being back, this is his team,” said Smith, ever the deferential rookie. “He’s the running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. I’m not sharing with him. He’s sharing with me.”
What’s clear is this: The Chiefs hadn’t ruled Johnson out, as they had done by this time every week since the injury. He was also attending the game-planning meetings, which he had been skipping since the injury.
“I think they’re letting him take some baby steps,” fullback Boomer Grigsby said. “I’m not sure exactly what his status is. I’m not sure if he’s sure. I think it’s the kind of thing that he’s got to go out there and do his thing and they’ll see how he feels.
“He’s kind of like a caged tiger, just kind of walking around and walking around. I know he wants to play.”
On the surface, it’s difficult to find any benefit from a Johnson return this season. The Chiefs are 4-10 and their playoff hopes have long since disappeared.
Johnson, however, appears determined to play again. The Chiefs would like to win their remaining two games, including the Dec. 30 finale against the Jets in New York.
“I don’t know,” Edwards said, referring to possible benefits of Johnson’s return. “You have to weigh that. That’s a hard decision. You’ve got to make the best decision for the player. That’s the first thing: What benefits the player? We haven’t had to make that decision yet.
“Good players always make you better. They make you a better team, better coaches.”
The Chiefs haven’t won since Johnson was injured in their 33-22 loss to Green Bay on Nov. 4 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs at the time were 4-3 and in first place in the AFC West.
While it’s impossible to assume the Chiefs would still be playoff contenders had Johnson remained in their lineup, it’s probably no coincidence they haven’t won without him.
“The better players you have, the better chance you have to win,” Edwards said. “Is he a difference-maker? Yeah. He’s an 1,800-yard runner. That’s what he ran for last year. Whether he would have done that this year because of some of the situations we put ourselves in, I don’t know that. But he’s a quality back, one of the better backs in the National Football League.
“You don’t want to put it on one player because then you’re (discounting) everyone else. You can’t do that. It’s a team thing. But he helps you.”
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are planning on playing against the Lions their sixth halfback of the season. Rookie Jackie Battle was promoted from the practice squad last week and played on special teams.
He could play on offense in Detroit.
“We’d like to get him the ball some,” Edwards said. “We’d like to get him in the game and let him carry the ball and find out if he can run or not.”"
"LJ appears to suffer setback in practice
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
Chiefs notes: Claim on tackle; Turley on IR
Time is running out for Larry Johnson to fulfill the pledge he made to teammates shortly after breaking a bone in his foot.
Johnson told many of the other Chiefs that he would return to play before the season was finished and now has but two games left to make good on it.
Johnson received a heavier workload in practice Wednesday than he has since the injury in early November. Johnson shared the first-team snaps with Kolby Smith and appeared as if he was preparing to play Sunday against the Lions in Detroit.
But about halfway through practice, Johnson headed for the sideline and spoke with one of the trainers, careful the whole time not to put weight on the injured foot.
He then left the practice field and didn’t return.
That left his status muddled in all sorts of mixed signals.
“I don’t know if it was a setback,” coach Herm Edwards said. “We’ll find out (today) and the next day.
“He got a little sore. I’ve got to see where that’s at. He’s limited right now and I’ve got him questionable.”
Smith, who had to share the first-team snaps with Johnson for the first time since he became a starter last month, said he was planning on sharing them with Johnson on Sunday, too. He even took exception to a comment that he was the one doing the sharing.
“With him being back, this is his team,” said Smith, ever the deferential rookie. “He’s the running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. I’m not sharing with him. He’s sharing with me.”
What’s clear is this: The Chiefs hadn’t ruled Johnson out, as they had done by this time every week since the injury. He was also attending the game-planning meetings, which he had been skipping since the injury.
“I think they’re letting him take some baby steps,” fullback Boomer Grigsby said. “I’m not sure exactly what his status is. I’m not sure if he’s sure. I think it’s the kind of thing that he’s got to go out there and do his thing and they’ll see how he feels.
“He’s kind of like a caged tiger, just kind of walking around and walking around. I know he wants to play.”
On the surface, it’s difficult to find any benefit from a Johnson return this season. The Chiefs are 4-10 and their playoff hopes have long since disappeared.
Johnson, however, appears determined to play again. The Chiefs would like to win their remaining two games, including the Dec. 30 finale against the Jets in New York.
“I don’t know,” Edwards said, referring to possible benefits of Johnson’s return. “You have to weigh that. That’s a hard decision. You’ve got to make the best decision for the player. That’s the first thing: What benefits the player? We haven’t had to make that decision yet.
“Good players always make you better. They make you a better team, better coaches.”
The Chiefs haven’t won since Johnson was injured in their 33-22 loss to Green Bay on Nov. 4 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs at the time were 4-3 and in first place in the AFC West.
While it’s impossible to assume the Chiefs would still be playoff contenders had Johnson remained in their lineup, it’s probably no coincidence they haven’t won without him.
“The better players you have, the better chance you have to win,” Edwards said. “Is he a difference-maker? Yeah. He’s an 1,800-yard runner. That’s what he ran for last year. Whether he would have done that this year because of some of the situations we put ourselves in, I don’t know that. But he’s a quality back, one of the better backs in the National Football League.
“You don’t want to put it on one player because then you’re (discounting) everyone else. You can’t do that. It’s a team thing. But he helps you.”
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are planning on playing against the Lions their sixth halfback of the season. Rookie Jackie Battle was promoted from the practice squad last week and played on special teams.
He could play on offense in Detroit.
“We’d like to get him the ball some,” Edwards said. “We’d like to get him in the game and let him carry the ball and find out if he can run or not.”"
