Agent: Chiefs, L.J. Reach Agreement
Posted Oct 31, 2009 10:10 PM
By DOUG TUCKER
(AP)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 31) -- Larry Johnson's agent said he and the Kansas City Chiefs agreed Saturday night to cut the running back's two-week suspension in half, saving him more than $300,000.
Peter Schaffer told The Associated Press that nothing had been signed.
"We've been working hard at it since Thursday," Schaffer said. "We think we have a positive resolution and we'll be able to move forward in the right direction."
The Chiefs suspended Johnson for two weeks until Nov. 9 for what they called conduct detrimental to the club. It would include only one game, Nov. 8 at Jacksonville, because this is their bye week.
On his Twitter account last Sunday night and then again the next day speaking to reporters, Johnson used gay slurs. It triggered quick reaction from gay rights groups demanding that he be punished. In another tweet, he also questioned Chiefs coach Todd Haley's competence.
The two-week absence would cost him about $630,000. He might still face punishment from the league.
The Chiefs have consistently said they would have no comment on the situation and a spokesman told AP Saturday night the club had nothing to say.
Johnson, who turns 30 this month, needs only 75 yards to become the Chiefs' career leader.
When the suspension was announced Wednesday, Schaffer said he intended to appeal. But he said Saturday night that Johnson had resisted.
"He kept saying, `You go to a grievance hearing, they can get adversarial and I don't want to be that way,'" Schaffer related. "He said, `I plan on being a Chief the next Monday, so why would I want to fight with somebody when the next day I will be fighting for them?'
"I thought that was a very mature stance."
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2009-10-31 22:14:03
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