Carrying the load: Clinton Portis, the main man on the Redskins, never has had such a high-profile job

Football Digest, Jan, 2005 by Tom Worgo

HE'S THE NEW HIGH-profile Clinton in Washington D.C. And Clinton Portis plans to stay around at least as long as the last Clinton did. When Washington Redskins new running back arrived on the scene in the spring of 2004, he had T-shirts printed with his face and the slogan, clinton--eight more years. The shirts went on sale--for $19.95 each--on his Website.

It was just another sign of the swagger he showed during his University of Miami days and then on the Denver Broncos. But Portis' M.O. appears to have changed at least a little bit. He rarely has showed signs of the brash out-spoken player who Broncos owner Pat Bowlen says earned a ticket out of town with his mouth. In fact, Redskins coach Joe Gibbs says what's surprised him most about Portis, a third-year pro, is his soft speaking voice and reserved nature.

"I don't think he's outspoken," Gibbs says. "What I noticed about Clinton is that he is pretty quiet. He's got a great sense of humor. He has a little bit of dry wit. I think some of the things he says are kind of funny. I don't picture him as outgoing."

The one exception to his new lowkey persona followed Washington's Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns, when the23-year-old Portis spoke critically of his team's scheme, saying it was too predictable. Yet his position coach, Ernest Byner, says the outburst was more out of frustration than flamboyance.

The last time Portis really showed off was at the press conference the Redskins called in March to introduce him. Washington swapped four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round pick with Denver for him. Portis used the occasion to brag about his eight-year, $50 million contract, which included a $17 million signing bonus. (Portis was briefly the highest-paid running back in NFL history, but he dropped to No. 2 when LaDainian Tomlinson signed a new deal before the season.)

"I came to an owner everyone wants to play for," Portis said. "Everybody is trying to get here."

With Gibbs calling the shots, Portis is earning every penny of his salary. The Hall of Fame coach's offenses have always featured a workhorse running back. His claim to fame is winning three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks, but few bother to note that six of his running backs--John Riggins, George Rogers, and Byner-rushed for more than 1,000 yards. In Riggins' case, Gibbs ran him all the way to the Hall of Fame.

Portis is simply the latest in that illustrious line, and he got a taste of Gibbs' style in his first game, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he carried the ball 29 times. "It's great being here," Portis says. "These shoulders aren't that big, so I can't carry everything, but I'll try to carry my share of the load."

For some Redskins fans, that will only be true if Portis carries the ball more than 300 times and breaks Stephen Davis' club record of 1,432 yards, set in 2001. That's how high expectations are in success-starved Washington after Portis rushed for 1,508 and 1,591yards in his two seasons with the Broncos.

For his part, Gibbs has vowed to be careful about not working Portis into a state of exhaustion. "Certainly you want to make sure you are giving him the ball enough to make an impact," Gibbs says. "But the biggest thing is keeping him fresh. I didn't set any quotas. We want to stay balanced. We need to run the football and take our shots in the passing game."

So far, that plan hasn't worked as well as expected, as the Redskins got off to an extremely disappointing start. One problem has been a below-average offensive line. The linemen are coached by the respected Joe Bugel, but they're hardly "the Hogs" of Washington's glory years.

Consider this: Ray Brown--a 41-year-old, 17-year veteran the team picked up for insurance just before the season began--ended up starting early in the year at right tackle, along with journeyman Kenyatta Jones, after Jon Jansen was lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Left guard Derrick Dockery, who struggled as a rookie last year, has yet to establish himself as a consistent player in second season. And center Lennie Friedman, in his first year starting with the team, is more comfortable at guard than center.

However, the 5'11", 205-pound Portis is not about to use the state of the line as an excuse. "I feel good about the offensive line," he says. "You can't sit here and say we're going to be a dance-hall team and get every step down." Gibbs calls Portis the most complete running back he has ever coached. He blocks well, is a big-play threat in the passing game, and possesses eye-catching speed.

Says Browns coach Butch Davis, who coached Portis at the University of Miami: "He's clearly one of the premier guys in the league. There's no weaknesses to his game. He's fast, tough, durable, has great vision, and catches the ball well."

The numbers back Davis up. Portis caught 38 passes with Denver last year and 33 the season before. "A lot of times, backs average six or seven yards per pass reception," Redskins offensive coordinator Don Breaux says. "He's averaged 13 and nine."