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Clinton Portis emerged onto the NFL scene with the Denver Broncos under then coach Mike Shanahan’s illustrious run scheme. In his first two seasons as the Denver Broncos starting running back Portis averaged 5.5 yards per carry and over 1,500 yards rushing. In 2002, Portis was the youngest player to score 4 touchdowns in a game. In the following season of 2003, Portis became the youngest player to score 5 touchdowns in a game. Portis looked destined to become one of the NFL’s greatest running backs of all-time before being traded to Washington in 2004 as part of a blockbuster trade that sent cornerback, Champ Bailey, to Denver along with a second round draft pick. Portis was inked to an 8-year contract worth $50.5 million.
Since joining the Washington Redskins the marriage with nation’s capital has been nothing short of a disaster for Clinton Portis with the organization changing head coaches and offensive schemes over the last decade multiple times under frustrated owner Daniel Snyder. Portis has also had a flurry of injuries that include multiple concussions along with chest, shoulder, knee and hamstring alignments. Amongst all the disappointment in Washington, Portis is 77 yards shorts of 10,000 career rushing yards and 648 yards shy of Hall of Famer John Riggins’ franchise record.
Clinton Portis joined Mike Wise and Holden Kushner for what could be his final weekly spot on 106.7 the Fan in D.C. to discuss his health status and thoughts on the 2010 season, on retiring from the NFL, the Washington Redskins going through a youth movement and the sense that he may not be brought back, his feelings on the Washington Redskins being the team that could get him to the Super Bowl, on the reason for drama in the organization, on what he would say to fans in D.C. if his career is over, on Dan Snyder changing as owner during his time as a Washington Redskin, on what it’s like having not having to pursue women, on the alleged stripper pole in his home and his pool parties.
On health situation and thoughts about the end of the 2010 season?
“I actually feel great health wise you know as far as running and jumping and doing everything. Hopefully I’ll be cleared soon and I can start playing basketball and really try staying in shape in being able to go out and show and perform and have the energy I need to have.”
On the thought of possibly retiring from the NFL?
“I actually haven’t. I think now I have the rejuvenation and energy to continue to play. I think in the last era you know it had gotten to point where it just felt tiring like drained and everything that came along with it as compared to things now. I think I could still give a lot. I think I still have a lot left in the tank. I definitely want these 77 yards to join the elite club, the elite club, the elite milestone. I definitely want those and I really think I can help someone out.”
On the sense of the Washington Redskins going through a youth movement and any sense of having to latch on to another team because he won’t be back?
“I mean that’s on them. As I told you I don’t think the Washington Redskins organization owes me anything. I think they gave me an opportunity to have 7 enjoyable seasons here. I went through the ups-and-downs with the organization, but I think it was all memorable. I think coming to the Washington Redskins helped me grow as a man, helped me become appreciative, helped me become understanding. I thank them for that. You don’t get an opportunity to play for a Joe Gibbs every Sunday. You don’t get an opportunity to be in the nation’s capital and be the main focus and center of attention all around the world. I think I had an experience that you really can’t take back. I’m thankful for that.”
On his thoughts of the Washington Redskins being the team that could help him get back to the postseason and to the Super Bowl in the next 2 years?
“I don’t it’s a lot of things that need to be changed. I think we have some people out of position and adjusting to a new system every year. That’s just the same thing and it’s having consistency and identity and something to be comfortable with. If you look at quarterbacks who have been in a system to like a young Matt Ryan in Atlanta, an Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, a Philip Rivers in San Diego, the guys who have been a system getting an opportunity to make the checks and call the plays, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. There is not much change around it. It’s the same thing and once you get a familiar with it and know all the ins-and-outs of the system it changes overnight. If you look at the Houston Texas who for so long struggled and now are one of the most high powered offenses in the NFL. You just wonder it’s a matter of time and how much time it will be. For myself getting back to the postseason would be great. I think the years we got to the postseason I think our will to get there was so draining, so tough and so hard that once we got to the postseason we never went to the postseason fresh at least I never was. With the NFL changing to a two-back system if you can get just get to the playoffs where you don’t have all that wear-and-tear on your body and myself being out for each game, for a whole season, a 16-game season, I feel fresh and rejuvenated if I could only get there. You know who knows.”
On why there is drama in the Washington Redskins organization?
“Man I have no idea. I really think for whatever went wrong in the beginning before I got here, once I arrived the media was against this team. They were always try to find a way to break it. I was so torn. I never saw a feel good story about anyone in this organization.”
On what he would say to the fans if this was the end of his career with the Washington Redskins?
“Thank you, you know that’s what I would say. I don’t think there has ever been a day that I stepped out into the public eye where I had to have security or I was worried, where I could go out and be myself and feel comfortable in the surroundings I was in and that’s from you know being in the hood or being in the front offices of the White House or anywhere else or going to congress or anything wherever I felt. I always felt appreciated and I always felt comfortable. When I go through the hood you’re going to have Dallas Cowboys fans, you’re going to have New York Giants fans, but it was always man will appreciate your work. I’m on the Redskins, but I think what you stand for and the work you put in, the effort that you bring, and the effort you give to this team, I love to watch you play. That’s the appreciation. I think it’s hard for outsiders or a man to tell you they appreciate you. As a man I don’t think you look at your counterpart, you look at holding, like man I love working with you man. I think to just get that appreciation out of people is hard to do. For myself, I think the fans appreciated me. I really never took the fans where they wanted to be and that was going to the Super Bowl, but I think my play on Sunday’s showed them we can get there. I never gave in and I always went out and left what I had on the field. If you look at the last 3 years so many people would say the numbers diminished and points fell off, man I was getting 10-12 carries a game. I spent half the game blocking, but you didn’t hear any pouting or me saying anything. I took blocking and tried to take it to the next level. I tried to let that be my role. I tried to spring my teammates along even when I felt I wanted the ball. I accepted my role. I left that up to the coaches and everyone else. For myself I don’t think there was ever a fear with the fans around, there were some bittersweet moments, but at the end of the day, thank you.
On Dan Snyder changing as owner of the Washington Redskins in his time there?
“I think so. I don’t think his intentions or goals have ever changed. I think he always wanted to win and I think he always did. Whether he deemed necessary to get this team over the hump. As far as seeing Mr. Snyder on the field consistently everyday and seeing him come down and sit with some other owners and his business partners and being active around to all of a sudden coming around with me and him being buddy-buddy you know to go from being comfortable with saying anything and talking life or talking business or getting to the point where it became weird because so many people were watching you couldn’t even have a conversation. I don’t know if it was the worry of the other players or the people involved or the people watching and it became me and Mr. Snyder being so buddy-buddy that changed. All of a sudden it went from having comfort in the team doing good and flying around and knowing what’s going on even with Vinny Cerrato having Vinny and being able to talk to Vinny and all of sudden when they left like I told you I asked Lou (Riddick) a questions it’s “I don’t know.” I can’t go ask nobody. If I had a question I would go ask Mr.Snyder. You can only tell me yes or no. Now it’s just uncertain. I think he’s still a great owner. I think he still has the same goal and I think at some point in time he will win a Super Bowl.”
On ever having to pursue a women or have they just always been thrown at him?
“No you know I never wanted anything thrown at me. I always was pursuing for anything I did. I pursued to be in that situation. For people who threw themselves at me that was never really a challenge, so I always like a challenge.”
On having a stripper pole in his home according to alleged photo’s from people who have been to his pool parties?
“I think the people who decorated my house just put it as a thank you present. Crazy thing is I’ve never used that pole before. I’ve never had one single person dance on that stripper pole in my house. I think it was more of a decoration and that’ll go in my basement. As for my pool parities, I think the pool parities it was just an enjoyment, you know just an opportunity to have people to mostly enjoy and have fun. I was blessed and I was lucky enough to never have an incident happen at any of the pool parties we had you know. When you get that many people together and you get beautiful women a lot of things can get out of hand. You know I think there was always a calm, relaxing setting for people to have fun.”
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