Background and career
Clinton Earl Portis (born September 1, 1981) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. For one season, he was the running backs coach at Delaware State University (DSU). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. Portis was best known for being the starting running back for the Washington Redskins for seven seasons, in which he gained an average of 81.2 yards rushing per game, for which a select panel of celebrities included him as one of the 80 Greatest Redskins.
Portis attended the University of Miami, where he played for the Hurricanes. He considered going to the University of South Carolina but a fight that he had at Gainesville High School resulted in his scholarship being taken away. He became just the second true freshman to start at running back since the 1975 season. Portis set a school freshman record with five 100-yard performances, and led the team with 838 yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries (5.9 avg.) in 10 games. He also caught four passes for 44 yards (11.0 avg.) and 2 touchdowns. When Portis was still a relative unknown, Lee Corso singled out Portis's performance during a defeat by Florida State for hustling and never giving up, saying "that kid can play for me any time". Portis' sophomore season was not as successful as he rushed for 485 yards and two touchdowns on 77 carries (6.3 avg.) in eight games. He also added 103 yards on five receptions (20.6 avg.). However, Portis bounced back in 2001 as the Hurricanes won the National Championship and Portis had his best season rushing for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns on 220 carries (5.5 avg.). He also added 125 receiving yards. In the Rose Bowl against Nebraska, Portis ran for 104 yards and a touchdown. He also had a long touchdown reception called back on a holding call. Clinton was inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame on April 10, 2013, at a ceremony in Miami.
Portis was also a standout track athlete for the Gainesville High School track team. He was timed at 10.6 seconds in the 100 meters. He was a member of the varsity track team. He took part in the state record 4 × 100 meter relay team, that finished with a time of 40.8 seconds. He also posted a personal bests of 2.01 meters in the high jump, and 6.91 meters in the long jump. He also ran track and field for the University of Miami, where he won the state championship in the 4 × 400-meter relay. He also recorded personal best of 6.93 seconds in the 60 meters and 21.82 seconds in the 200 meters.
Portis was selected 51st overall by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. After three games he became the starting running back and over the final 12 games he surpassed 100 rushing yards seven times and scored 14 touchdowns, a performance that earned him Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He finished his debut season with a franchise‑rookie record 1,508 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. In 2003 he rushed for more than 100 yards in 11 of his 13 games and set a team record when he scored five rushing touchdowns in a Week 14 win over Kansas City. Despite missing three games, Portis amassed 1,591 rushing yards – the third‑highest single‑season total in club history – and earned his first Pro Bowl invitation. He became just the third player in NFL history to rush for at least 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons, and his 5.5‑yard rushing average over those seasons remains the highest for any player with at least 500 carries.
On March 4, 2004, the Broncos traded Portis to the Washington Redskins in exchange for Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and a second‑round draft pick (used to select running back Tatum Bell). Contemporary reports described the deal as a rare swap of elite players and draft compensation.
Portis joined head coach Joe Gibbs' run‑oriented offense in Washington. On his first carry as a Redskin he broke free for a 64‑yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and finished his debut with 148 rushing yards in a 16–10 win. He went on to log 343 carries for 1,315 rushing yards and five touchdowns and also caught 40 passes for 205 yards. Washington finished 6–10, and Portis started 15 of 16 games. Ladell Betts, selected five picks after Portis in the 2002 draft, served as his primary backup for the entirety of Portis' tenure in Washington.
