HispanicBusiness

The Kansas City Chiefs today sacked troubled running back Larry Johnson -- a star who has struggled this season -- for his use two weeks ago of anti-gay slurs and for belittling head coach Todd Haley on his Twitter account.

Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowler and the second-best running back in team history, has been locked in a simmering feud with the team's coaching staff ever since his career began with the Chiefs seven years ago. In 2003, then-head coach Dick Vermeil publicly stated he would have preferred a defensive player. The next year, Vermeil offended Johnson by saying he needed to "take the diapers off."

But the trouble really began to boil over on Oct. 25, following the team's loss to San Diego. Johnson later that day groused on his Twitter account that his own father had more football experience than coach Haley, who did not play high school football, and went to college on a golf scholarship, according to Sports Illustrated.

His tweet drew several responses from fans. In a rejoinder to one of them, Johnson used a gay slur. The next day, Johnson shooed away reporters in the locker room, using the same three-letter gay slur.

He later issued a lengthy apology, but to no avail.

Johnson was just 75 yards shy of beating a rushing record set by Priest Holmes, who tallied 6,070.

He also had problems with women, and last year was sentenced to two years' probation after allegedly throwing a drink on a woman and allegedly pushing another in the head at a Kansas City night club. A judge this year suspended the sentence pending Johnson's completion of the probation period without further incident.