Larry Johnson Released by Kansas City Chiefs

It looks as though Twitter has claimed its first football casualty.

Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who criticized head coach Todd Haley and used a gay slur on Twitter two weeks ago, will be released by the team, according to the team’s official Web site. The team has a news conference scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Johnson is second in Chiefs history with 5,996 yards — trailing Priest Holmes by just 74 yards for the most in franchise history. Chiefs fans, who had clearly had enough of Johnson, created an online petition that asked general manger Scott Pioli to prevent the running back from setting the mark. The 32,471 fans who signed the petition appear to be getting their wish.

Johnson got into trouble after the Chiefs’ 24-21 loss to the Jaguars, writing on his Twitter account:

“My father got more credentials than most of these pro coaches…..Google my father!!!!!!!”

“My father played for the coach from ‘remember the titans’. Our coach played golf. My father played for the redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn”

He then insulted fans by using a gay slur on the social networking site before using the same word to insult reporters. He was later fined and suspended by the team.

Johnson has a history of trouble off the field, having been arrested four times. His most recent incident came in October of 2008, when he was accused of spitting a drink into a woman’s face at a nightclub.

With Johnson out of the picture, Jamaal Charles will step into the starting role for the Chiefs. Charles, a second-year back out of Texas, has rushed for 152 yards on 29 carries this year.