Kansas City, Mo. ? Chiefs coach Herm Edwards insisted Wednesday that he has not been told that running back Larry Johnson has a broken foot and is out for the year.

A report on My Fox Colorado out of Denver quoted an unnamed source within the Chiefs organization as saying the two-time Pro Bowl running back broke his right foot in the loss on Sunday to Green Bay and would not play again this year.

The Chiefs, who play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, have said only that it’s a mid-foot sprain and he will not play this week.

“All I know is this is what I’ve been told. What I’ve been told not by that reporter but from our doctors is that his foot is still swollen,” a feisty, defensive Edwards told reporters after practice.

“They’re still trying to look at it to find out exactly where he’s at. I do know this – it’s very doubtful in my mind that he’s going to play this week. That’s what I know. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

The Chiefs (4-4) will use 34-year-old Priest Holmes and untested rookie Kolby Smith to replace Johnson, who signed a six-year, $45 million contract after holding out the entire training camp. Johnson rushed for more than 1,750 yards each of the past two seasons and has scored Kansas City’s last 36 touchdowns on the ground. But he was off to a slow start and had only 559 yards on 158 carries when he was injured against the Packers.

Ironically, he got his chance to come off the bench and start when Holmes, a three-time Pro Bowler, went down in October 2005 because of a spinal injury. Now Holmes will have an opportunity to resurrect his career while Johnson nurses an injury that could keep him out much longer than one week.

Edwards also said that wide receiver Eddie Kennison, who has played only a few snaps all season, should be ready to play Sunday.