Puddy Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Johnson says Edwards picks him as Chiefs RBESPN.com news services Larry Johnson will be the Kansas City Chiefs starting running back next season regardless of Priest Holmes' health. Larry Johnson Running Back Kansas City Chiefs Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD 336 1750 20 33 343 1 Johnson said new coach Herman Edwards gave him the role during their first meeting Tuesday. "He told me I would be the guy going into training camp and that I should start the season prepared to start," Johnson told the Topeka Capital-Journal. Johnson finished the season with nine straight 100-yard games, 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns (plus one receiving) after Holmes was put on the disabled list Nov. 9 with head and neck trauma. "[Edwards] said, I want to tell you this now that when we get going, you'll have to be the guy on this team who is the leader and gets things done," Johnson added Wednesday on ESPN's "Cold Pizza." Priest Holmes Running Back Kansas City Chiefs Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD 119 451 6 21 197 1 Holmes, the team's all-time rusher, said in November that he plans to play next season if tests show encouraging results. "Pounding is just a part of football. But I love this sport and it's really been very good to me. I'm not one to look 20 or 30 years down the road. I really look at the next two, three, five years. I really see myself playing, hoping the situation with the tests I take in the next 60 days comes back positive. Regardless of that, I still have to sit down and make a decision." Holmes saw specialists in California and Florida after sustaining a concussion on Oct. 30 and was told to avoid contact for at least 30 days. His 27 touchdowns in 2003 are a single-season record and the 66 touchdowns he scored from 2002-04 are the most in any three-year period. The injury, which he described as a pressure on his spine, has never been painful and is not necessarily a threat to cause paralysis, he said. "The main concern was that [doctors] wanted to know if there was pressure on the spine," he said. "If there's pressure on the spine, of course if you're hit there's a number of things that could possibly happen. Would those things happen to me? It hasn't happened yet. "So I'm very, very confident about the recovery time and the number of things I have to go through." For two years, Johnson sulked about having to play behind Holmes. Many wrote him off as just a hotheaded kid who didn't know what he was talking about. But now that he has gotten his chance to be the featured back, he has backed up everything he said -- and then some. "I predicted what Larry would be in his rookie year, sitting behind closed doors," then Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said in December. "The only thing I asked him to do was be patient and take the time it takes to become what you have the ability to be. "He was very impatient. Part of it was caused by his passion to play the game. Part of it was caused because we had a great running back in Priest Holmes." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I drafted LJ the year he turned pro in every keeper and dynasty league I'm in. Things are definitely looking up for these teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I drafted LJ the year he turned pro in every keeper and dynasty league I'm in. Things are definitely looking up for these teams. 1275643[/snapback] Getting Herm Edwards in as a head coach does not equate to things looking up imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackass Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Getting Herm Edwards in as a head coach does not equate to things looking up imo. 1275796[/snapback] Good point. and is this really huge news? i think it's pretty clear that this was going to happen. it's only a matter of how the carries will be split up (assuming priest comes back which does seem to be a definite possibility) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vansmack32 Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Getting Herm Edwards in as a head coach does not equate to things looking up imo. 1275796[/snapback] Curtis Martin led the NFL in rushing under Herm in 2004. I wouldn't be too worried about LJ under Herm. The Jets were criticized for playing things too close to the vest offensively under Herm, and he didn't sway. I suspect it'll be a heavy dose of LJ, especially if they can build a decent defense that would allow them to get ahead in games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefjay Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 It will be interesting to see how LJ does in the coming years. I think next year, barring injury, he's good for 1500 and 15 if not better but I'm not so sure about the years after though. This offense may have reached it's peak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdawg Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 It will be interesting to see how LJ does in the coming years. I think next year, barring injury, he's good for 1500 and 15 if not better but I'm not so sure about the years after though. This offense may have reached it's peak? 1275840[/snapback] Really depends on the age and the health of the O-line. As I recall it's getting kind of long in the tooth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Ryan Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 and has now lost its OC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip_Side Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Curtis Martin led the NFL in rushing under Herm in 2004. I wouldn't be too worried about LJ under Herm. 1275838[/snapback] Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giantsfan Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 Trust me Herm is a conservative run 1st and 2nd option HC. The question will be with no Vermeil and no Saunders how will that affect LJ. Not to mention if 1 of or both Roaf or Shields leave, although I think both give it at least 1 more year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterMan Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 At least he took something away from the media to guess about until the next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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