NFL | Kansas City releases running back Larry Johnson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Given good blocking and a fresh start, Larry Johnson might still be the power-running Pro Bowler who had back-to-back 1,700-plus-yard seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Are you listening, Indianapolis? What do you think, Chicago? Houston?

Or he might be a declining malcontent who will cost money and cause trouble.

The Chiefs released Johnson on Monday, the day he was due back from his second suspension in the past 12 months.

Any team with a faltering running game is bound to be tempted by Johnson, 29, despite his baggage.

"Any player that's available, we look at," said Chicago coach Lovie Smith. "That's been our standard policy throughout. That'll be the case with Larry."

Johnson's last brush with controversy came about two weeks ago when he posted on his Twitter account a gay slur, insulted followers and questioned the competence of Chiefs coach Todd Haley.

He was suspended for two weeks, but Haley said the final decision to cast him aside was not made until Monday.

In 2008, then-coach Herm Edwards benched Johnson for three games for violating team rules and league commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him a fourth game for violating the league's player-conduct policy.

Johnson was later sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace. One woman accused him of throwing a drink on her and another said he had pushed her head at a Kansas City nightspot.

Notes

• Saying he was embarrassed and that he has to control himself, Chicago defensive tackle Tommie Harris apologized for throwing a punch at Arizona offensive lineman Deuce Lutui. Harris was ejected on the fourth play from scrimmage of Sunday's 41-21 loss.

• League officials said they are investigating an altercation during the second quarter of Atlanta's 31-17 victory over Washington on Sunday. Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall was on the Atlanta sideline, surrounded by Falcons players and coach Mike Smith.

• Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards said he expects to be cleared to play Sunday at Tennessee after missing nearly a month recovering from a concussion.

• Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, 50, has been released on bond after his arrest in a Miami-area traffic accident. Taylor was charged Sunday with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, a second-degree misdemeanor. He was released on $500 bond that night. A Florida Highway Patrol spokesman said Taylor was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Hialeah. Taylor told investigators he thought he had hit a guard rail. There were no injuries.