L.J. doesn’t deserve another chance

I’m a second-chance kind of guy.

Michael Vick fights, beats, electrocutes and kills dogs? Give him a second chance. Ray Lewis is accused of murder (and pleads guilty to a lesser charge)? Give him a second chance — if only so I can see him do that dance one more time. Matt Millen methodically runs the Detroit Lions into the ground before getting fired? Give him a second chance — at least as a TV analyst.

Larry Johnson has repeated run-ins with the law? Shows no respect for the fans or his coaches, despite making millions of dollars a year? Is constantly moody, arrogant and un-coachable? That’s where I draw the line.

APLarry Johnson has an exhaustive list of off-the-field issues.

I am, to a fault, a Kansas City Chiefs fan. Still, I never fully embraced Johnson, who was drafted by the Chiefs in 2003 after shredding defenses at Penn State. He always had this smug sensibility about him that I never accepted. Sure, he was a terrific football player. I still remember his back-to-back 1,700-plus-yard seasons in 2005 and 2006. But it was everything else about him that irked me.

Here’s a timeline of some of the more memorable and forgettable events in Johnson’s career (keep in mind he’s only 29; he has much more time to add to this list):

April 26, 2003 — The Chiefs draft Johnson with the 27th overall pick.

Dec. 5, 2003 — Johnson is charged with aggravated assault and battery after allegedly slapping his girlfriend and brandishing a gun during an argument with her.

Sept. 21, 2004 — The running back, who has been squabbling about his lack of playing time, is told to “take the diaper off and go play” by Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil.

Sept. 22, 2004 — Johnson responds to his coach’s comments by saying, “If the man can't say something in my face, that’s how I feel. It don't mean nothing to me.” (Remember this statement later. The irony will kill you.)

Sept. 10, 2005 — Early on a Saturday morning, Johnson allegedly gets into an altercation with his then-girlfriend at a Kansas City bar. His girlfriend reportedly is upset after seeing him on what appears to be a date with another woman. Johnson allegedly drags his girlfriend to the door of the bar and asks the manager to kick her out. According to the Associated Press, “Johnson became irate after his girlfriend confronted his date. The running back grabbed the victim by the shoulders and shoved her, causing her to fall onto the floor, the police report said.” He’s arrested two days later.

Sept. 11, 2005 — The running back runs for 110 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries in Week 1 against the Jets. It’s the beginning of his first Pro Bowl season.

Jan. 18, 2006 — The assault charge is dropped after his former girlfriend fails to show up in court for the third consecutive time.

Dec. 31, 2006 — Johnson carries the ball 33 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns against the Jaguars to finish off another Pro Bowl year. He completes the 2006 season with 416 rushes. Through the next 2½ seasons, Johnson gets only 483 carries.

APJohnson will get his "second" chance in Cincinnati.

Aug. 21, 2007 — The running back ends his lengthy holdout and signs a five-year, $43-million contract with $19 million guaranteed.

Oct. 21, 2007 — Johnson plays his final game of the 2007 season after suffering a foot injury. For the year, he averages 3.5 yards a carry, at the time a career-low.

Feb. 24, 2008 — A women alleges that Johnson shoved her on the side of the head at a Kansas City nightclub. He’s later charged with simple assault.

Oct. 10, 2008 — Johnson allegedly spits a drink in a woman’s face and threatens to kill her boyfriend at Club Blonde in Kansas City during the Chiefs’ bye week. He then tries to spit on the victim three more times while walking to his car, according to the police report. He’s later charged with simple assault.

Oct. 19, 2008 — The running back is suspended by head coach Herm Edwards for violating team rules, which Edwards says are unrelated to Johnson’s recent legal troubles.

Oct. 22, 2008 — Johnson issues a statement in which he says, “In times of darkness, you’ve got to look for the light, and that’s what I plan on doing, regardless of what suspensions and fines are being handed down. I will take them as sincerely as they give them out.”

March 27, 2009 — The running back pleads guilty to a lesser charge of disturbing the peace and gets two years’ probation for the two 2008 assaults.

APTodd Haley will no longer be subjected to negative tweets.

Oct. 25, 2009 — Johnson bashes head coach Todd Haley in a Twitter post, saying, “My father played for the coach from ‘rememeber the titans.’ Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn.” (Is the irony of this killing you? It’s definitely killing me.)

Oct. 28, 2009 — Johnson is suspended for the Chiefs’ game against Jacksonville.

Nov. 9, 2009 — The Chiefs release Johnson.

Today — The running back signs a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals to be the team’s fourth running back, according to head coach Marvin Lewis.

Three observations: First, this is a ridiculously long, verbose and repetitive list. Second, the month of October has not been kind to Johnson over the past three years. Third, it took the Chiefs that freaking long to release him? Really?

L.J. has gotten plenty of second chances the past six years. The Bengals just gave him another one. Why this is a good idea I don’t know. But I do know I’ll be watching the situation with great interest, waiting to see how he deals with being the fourth running back on a playoff-bound team.

My guess? Not too well.

Scott Miller is a junior at the University of Iowa and a contributor to the National Football Post.

Follow me on Twitter: @stmillr

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