Posted on Thu, Jul. 10, 2003
Holmes says he'll be ready for camp, seeks contract extension
By IVAN CARTER
The Kansas City Star
Chiefs running back Priest Holmes finally broke his silence and dropped a bit of a bombshell Wednesday.
Holmes, who limped off Denver's Invesco Field because of a hip injury that ended his season in December and underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his hip in March, talked at length for the first time since then on Wednesday.
He declared his hip healthy for the opening of training camp, and as first reported by The Star in March, talked about his desire to receive a new or extended contract by the time the Chiefs line up for their Sept. 7 season opener against San Diego -- or he will sit out that game.
"I want to get paid," Holmes said Wednesday night. "I'll be ready to go when training camp starts, and I'm looking forward to getting on the field and helping the Kansas City Chiefs win a championship. I think we have the kind of team that can do it."
But two questions must be answered before Chiefs fans can start dreaming of a trip to Super Bowl XXXVIII:
Will Holmes' hip be strong enough for him to turn in a season similar to the past two in which he rushed for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns while catching 132 balls for 1,286 yards and five more scores?
Holmes says it will.
"(The rehab) has gone well," Holmes said. "At first I pushed it because that's always been my attitude. But after the surgery, I stayed on the crutches like I was supposed to and did what the doctors wanted me to do.
Holmes believes that previous experiences with knee injuries will help him return to his old form.
"I had a sprain and an actual ACL repair before," Holmes said. "So having an injury prepares you to know that a body will respond once it gets over the healing process. It adapts. The body can do some amazing things. I feel I can come back stronger than a person who hasn't been injured before."
The other question is this: even if Holmes is fully recovered by the end of training camp, which opens July 19 in River Falls, Wis., will the Chiefs and Holmes come to a contract agreement that will convince him to play?
While sitting in as a guest on "Between the Lines with Kevin Kietzman" on WHB (810 AM) on Wednesday afternoon, Holmes requested the 50 Cent track "In Da Club" and joked "that's where I'll be" if he doesn't receive a new contract by the season opener.
"I understand that there are another 50-some guys that need money, so I don't want to be greedy," Holmes said. "But at the same time, I know that receiving an extension would allow me to know that I can retire as a Kansas City Chief. That is very important to me.
"I didn't come here for a two-or-three-year thing. I feel confident that the Chiefs will do what it takes to make me happy."
That remains to be seen.
In March, Chiefs team president/general manager Carl Peterson was adamant that he would not consider giving Holmes a new contract. In April, the Chiefs selected running back Larry Johnson of Penn State with their first-round pick.
"I've talked about extending his contract," Peterson said of Holmes. "I'm not offering a new contract, and I'm not interested in tearing up his current contract and throwing that away."
"He signed a five-year deal. We both agreed to it."
But that was before Holmes started tearing up the NFL. In two Pro Bowl seasons, he has been the top-performing back in the NFL, the heart and soul of a Chiefs offense that became the NFL's best in 2002 and one heck of a bargain for the Chiefs.
Holmes is seeking a new deal or an extension that would include a fat signing bonus. He has three years remaining on the five-year, $8 million contract he signed in 2001. The deal included a $2 million signing bonus.
He is scheduled to be paid, including bonuses, $2.25 million this year, $2.5 million in 2004 and $2.75 million in 2005.
Holmes' agent, Todd France, said he did not want to comment on Holmes' contract situation.
"I would like to keep contract conversations between Carl Peterson and myself," France said. "But at this point, I can assure you that Priest will be at training camp."
Using the contracts recently signed by other top-flight NFL running backs, it's not hard to imagine that Holmes would be looking for a signing bonus of around $8 million or $9 million.
Last July, the Rams' Marshall Faulk signed a seven-year deal potentially worth $44 million and received a $9.3 million bonus. Last March, the Jaguars' Fred Taylor signed an extension that included an $8 million bonus. In August 2002, the Jets' Curtis Martin signed an eight-year extension that included a $10 million bonus.
And in August 2000, the Bengals' Corey Dillon signed a five-year deal worth $26.5 million and received a bonus of $10.5 million.
During the last two seasons, Holmes outperformed them all.
"How I look at it is, I don't say: `I'm the No. 1 back so this is what I want." Holmes said. "I say: Take the top three guys, divide it and let's go from there. I believe that we can get something done."
Holmes says he'll be ready for camp, seeks contract extension
By IVAN CARTER
The Kansas City Star
Chiefs running back Priest Holmes finally broke his silence and dropped a bit of a bombshell Wednesday.
Holmes, who limped off Denver's Invesco Field because of a hip injury that ended his season in December and underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his hip in March, talked at length for the first time since then on Wednesday.
He declared his hip healthy for the opening of training camp, and as first reported by The Star in March, talked about his desire to receive a new or extended contract by the time the Chiefs line up for their Sept. 7 season opener against San Diego -- or he will sit out that game.
"I want to get paid," Holmes said Wednesday night. "I'll be ready to go when training camp starts, and I'm looking forward to getting on the field and helping the Kansas City Chiefs win a championship. I think we have the kind of team that can do it."
But two questions must be answered before Chiefs fans can start dreaming of a trip to Super Bowl XXXVIII:
Will Holmes' hip be strong enough for him to turn in a season similar to the past two in which he rushed for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns while catching 132 balls for 1,286 yards and five more scores?
Holmes says it will.
"(The rehab) has gone well," Holmes said. "At first I pushed it because that's always been my attitude. But after the surgery, I stayed on the crutches like I was supposed to and did what the doctors wanted me to do.
Holmes believes that previous experiences with knee injuries will help him return to his old form.
"I had a sprain and an actual ACL repair before," Holmes said. "So having an injury prepares you to know that a body will respond once it gets over the healing process. It adapts. The body can do some amazing things. I feel I can come back stronger than a person who hasn't been injured before."
The other question is this: even if Holmes is fully recovered by the end of training camp, which opens July 19 in River Falls, Wis., will the Chiefs and Holmes come to a contract agreement that will convince him to play?
While sitting in as a guest on "Between the Lines with Kevin Kietzman" on WHB (810 AM) on Wednesday afternoon, Holmes requested the 50 Cent track "In Da Club" and joked "that's where I'll be" if he doesn't receive a new contract by the season opener.
"I understand that there are another 50-some guys that need money, so I don't want to be greedy," Holmes said. "But at the same time, I know that receiving an extension would allow me to know that I can retire as a Kansas City Chief. That is very important to me.
"I didn't come here for a two-or-three-year thing. I feel confident that the Chiefs will do what it takes to make me happy."
That remains to be seen.
In March, Chiefs team president/general manager Carl Peterson was adamant that he would not consider giving Holmes a new contract. In April, the Chiefs selected running back Larry Johnson of Penn State with their first-round pick.
"I've talked about extending his contract," Peterson said of Holmes. "I'm not offering a new contract, and I'm not interested in tearing up his current contract and throwing that away."
"He signed a five-year deal. We both agreed to it."
But that was before Holmes started tearing up the NFL. In two Pro Bowl seasons, he has been the top-performing back in the NFL, the heart and soul of a Chiefs offense that became the NFL's best in 2002 and one heck of a bargain for the Chiefs.
Holmes is seeking a new deal or an extension that would include a fat signing bonus. He has three years remaining on the five-year, $8 million contract he signed in 2001. The deal included a $2 million signing bonus.
He is scheduled to be paid, including bonuses, $2.25 million this year, $2.5 million in 2004 and $2.75 million in 2005.
Holmes' agent, Todd France, said he did not want to comment on Holmes' contract situation.
"I would like to keep contract conversations between Carl Peterson and myself," France said. "But at this point, I can assure you that Priest will be at training camp."
Using the contracts recently signed by other top-flight NFL running backs, it's not hard to imagine that Holmes would be looking for a signing bonus of around $8 million or $9 million.
Last July, the Rams' Marshall Faulk signed a seven-year deal potentially worth $44 million and received a $9.3 million bonus. Last March, the Jaguars' Fred Taylor signed an extension that included an $8 million bonus. In August 2002, the Jets' Curtis Martin signed an eight-year extension that included a $10 million bonus.
And in August 2000, the Bengals' Corey Dillon signed a five-year deal worth $26.5 million and received a bonus of $10.5 million.
During the last two seasons, Holmes outperformed them all.
"How I look at it is, I don't say: `I'm the No. 1 back so this is what I want." Holmes said. "I say: Take the top three guys, divide it and let's go from there. I believe that we can get something done."
