Clinton Portis was the total package

In March of 2004, the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos came to terms on one of the biggest player-for-player swaps in league history. The Redskins would ship pro bowl cornerback, Champ Bailey and a 2nd round draft pick to the Broncos for Clinton Portis, a young halfback with back-to-back 1,500-yard rushing campaigns to his credit. After racking up 3,099 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns for Denver, Portis was set to become a Washington Redskin. It didn’t take long for Portis to prove that he was worth the steep asking price, either.

On September 12, 2004, Clinton Portis made his first start for the Washington Redskins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At the 11 minute and 42 second mark in the first quarter, Portis notched the first carry of his tenure in Washington. It was a 64-yard touchdown. The play displayed the skill set that made Portis such a special player. It showed off his speed, ball carrying vision and cutback ability. It’s an unforgettable moment and a play that set the tone for Portis’ stay in D.C.

In his first season in Washington, Portis ran for more than 100 yards in five different contests. He tallied up 1,315 rushing yards on 343 carries. He also managed to catch 40 passes for 205 yards and a couple touchdowns. All in all, Portis touched the ball 385 times in his first year playing for the Redskins — that includes 2 passes, one of which was a touchdown.

Portis’ first season playing for the Redskins was solid, but his second season with the team was even better. He accumulated 1,516 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns during his second year in Washington. Portis rushed for more than 100 yards 9 times that season and only ran for less than 75 yards on 3 occasions. The Redskins went on a 5-game winning streak at the end of the 2005 season, Portis ran for 100 or more yards in each of those contests and reached the end zone 6 times during that stretch.

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Having rushed for more than 1,300 yards in each of his first 4 seasons in the league, there was no questioning Portis’ position among elite running backs in the NFL. He possessed the speed necessary to break off long runs and the agility to make people miss in the open field. He also had the vision to see the holes and the elusiveness to make something out of nothing. Portis was a talented, explosive running back that was always a threat to score, a truly dominant runner. But make no mistake; he was a weapon in the passing game, too.

Over the course of his career, Portis averaged 27 receptions per season and managed to produce a total of 2,018 receiving yards. His play as a pass-catcher was impressive, but that’s not what made him so valuable in the passing game. It was his ability as a pass-blocker. You would be hard-pressed to find a better pass-blocking running back than Portis. He was able to identify the blitzing player and block him. Portis wasn’t afraid to assert his dominance as a pass-blocker, often putting opposing defenders on their backs.

That sort of protection is something that quarterbacks salivate over. Knowing that your halfback is a good blocker undoubtedly takes some stress and pressure off of the quarterback. Having Portis in the backfield was a great asset for the Washington offense. His toughness and tenacity made him dangerous at every level of the game.

2006 was a down year for Portis; the talented runner was plagued by injuries for much of the season. In week one of the preseason against Cincinnati, he aggravated his shoulder while tackling an opposing defender. The injury wouldn’t keep him out of the opening day lineup, though. Portis started 7 games for Washington before being placed on IR to repair a broken hand. To shorten the inevitable rehabilitation process, Portis and the Redskins decided to surgically repair his injured shoulder at that time, too.

The surgery strategy and toughness of Clinton Portis made it possible for the workhorse running back to return to form the following season. Portis carried the ball 325 times for 1,262 and 11 touchdowns. Having caught 47 passes for 389-yards, 2007 was Portis’ best year as a pass-catcher. He followed up that season with an equally impressive season the following year.

With 1,487 yards, Portis surpassed the thousand-yard mark for the sixth and final time in his career in 2008. During that season, there was a stretch where he ran for 100+ yards in 5 straight games. He accumulated 696 yards and 4 touchdowns over that stretch.

Clinton Portis last played in the NFL in 2010 and officially retired in August of 2012. With 9,923 rushing yards, Portis ranks 3oth all-time. In franchise history, John Riggins is the only running back to have more rushing yards and touchdowns than Portis. Portis’ worth goes much deeper than just statistics, though.

As I mentioned earlier, Portis brought great pass-blocking and toughness to the table. Much of what Portis offered can’t be measured with statistics. He undoubtedly played great on the field, but his off-field energy cannot be ignored. Portis was always good for an interesting interview. The various personas that he created were hilarious and a breath of fresh air at an otherwise boring time of the week.

When you look back at the career of Clinton Portis, you have to look at him as more than just a running back. You have to look at him as a competitor and a leader. You have to look at him as an entertainer, athlete and team player.

When you look back at the career of Clinton Portis, you have to look at him for what he truly was, the total package.