This seemed like a perfect match. A malcontent running back with a criminal record and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals signed running back Larry Johnson—released by the Kansas City Chiefs last week because he was more trouble than he was worth—to a short-term deal that runs through the end of this season. Details of the contract were not available yet.
I figured the only other team that would even take a look at this guy would be the Oakland Raiders. The Bengals might be playing better football, but they still make some very questionable decisions when it comes to the character …read more

The Kansas City Chiefs have had enough of running back Larry Johnson. He was due to return from his second suspension in the past year today. But the Chiefs decided not to give him another chance and released him. Larry was just 75 yards shy of breaking Priest Holmes’ rushing record at Kansas City. But he finally wore out his welcome with a recent tirade of insults and gay slurs on his Twitter. So he won’t get a chance to break that or any other Kansas City Chiefs’ records.
Head coach Todd Haley explained the decision making process during his presser …read more

Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson is kind of an knuckle head. He has a tendency to say and do foolish things before he really thinks about what he’s saying and doing. I could possibly attribute it to immaturity, but in his seventh NFL season, I can’t really go there with an excuse for Larry’s childish and ridiculous behavior anymore (not that I did before).
After yesterday’s 37-7 drubbing at the hands of the San Diego Chargers, Larry went off on his Twitter, obviously belittling Chiefs head coach, Todd Haley, by writing:
“My father got more creditentials than most of these …read more

Dallas Cowboys receiver Miles Austin made his first NFL start today. And you can bet it won’t be his last. Subbing for injured receiver Roy Williams, Miles caught 10 passes for a team record 250 yards with two touchdowns, including the game-winning 60-yard reception in overtime to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 26-20. The previous Cowboys record was held by Hall of Famer Bob Hayes, who had of 246 receiving yards on November 13, 1966.
I felt Miles Austin had this kind of game in him (well, maybe not this good) if he ever got the chance. And he certainly made …read more

For a quarterback who has only played in 30 games in his National Football League career, Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel is very fortunate. Thanks to his impressive performance (3,693 yards, 21 TDs) in relief of an injured Tom Brady in New England last season, Matt was able to sign a six-year contract worth over $60 million (with $28 million guaranteed) today. And while he’s technically still competing for the starting quarterback spot with Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen, this hefty contract pretty much supersedes anything that might happen in training camp.
Chiefs GM Scott Pioli issued the following canned …read more

The Kansas City Chiefs traded perennial Pro Bowl tight end (and future Hall of Famer) Tony Gonzalez to the Atlanta Falcons today for a second round Draft pick in 2010. In the process, the Falcons address an immediate need by adding one of the NFL’s best pass-catching TEs to their already impressive offensive attack. And I believe they also gave themselves a “big three” with quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner (don’t forget receiver Roddy White). Therefore, if the Falcons weren’t already widely considered to be a force to be reckoned with in the future NFC playoff picture, they …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel has been traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs also got linebacker Mike Vrabel from New England in exchange for their second-round pick (34th overall) in the 2009 NFL Draft. The agreement is good only if both players pass their physicals, but I don’t think that will be an issue. Chiefs new GM Scott Pioli (formerly of the Patriots, of course) was thrilled to bring old faces into new places:
“I have a long history with both players. Mike and Matt are men that I respect both personally and …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
Former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley was named the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs today. Even though he’s only 41 years old, this will be his 14th season as a coach (Arizona, Dallas, Chicago, N.Y. Jets). Coach Haley will bring an offensive mind to Kansas City. Look what he did in AZ this past season — tied for third in the league in scoring, a franchise-record 427 points and the Cardinals were fourth in total offense, second in the league in passing offense (292.1 ypg) and sixth in the NFL with 20.5 …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
A record 11th NFL team will be looking for a new head coach this offseason. The Kansas City Chiefs fired head coach Herm Edwards today. New GM Scott Pioli arrived last week and he and coach Edwards have had a number of conversations since that evidently didn’t produce what Mr. Pioli felt was a workable relationship. So he decided to go in a different direction, understanding that the Chiefs were parting ways with what he described as “a great man and a tremendous football coach.” I couldn’t agree more. I’m a Herm Edwards fan. But …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
The opponents for all 2009 regular-season games have been determined and a complete list of each team’s home and away matchups was issued yesterday by the NFL. The scheduling formula implemented in 2002 with realignment guarantees that all teams play each other on a regular, rotating basis. Under the formula, every team within a division plays 16 games as follows:

Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games)
The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games)
The four teams from a division in the other conference on a …read more