Monday, June 17, 2024

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #54: Clinton Portis


Clinton Portis

Teams

Denver Broncos (2002-2003)

Washington Redskins (2004-2010)


Playoffs

Appearances - 3 (2003,2005,2007)

Conf Champ Games - 0

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0


Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 2002

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2008)

Pro Bowl - 2 (2003,2008)


All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #6

Rushing Touchdowns - #26

Rushing Yards - #32

Yards per Rush - #64

Scrimmage Yards - #66

Total Touchdowns - #71


League Leads

Rushing Yards (#4-2002,2005,2008, #5-2003, #6-2007, #8-2004)

Rushing Touchdowns (#3-2003, #4-2002,2007, #9-2005)

Yards per Rush (#1-2003, #3-2002)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-2003, #4-2002,2008, #5-2005)

Total Touchdowns (#3-2002, #6-2003)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-2007, #4-2008, #6-2002,2005, #7-2003, #9-2004)

Yards per Touch (#8-2003, #9-2002)


Clinton Portis rushed for 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior at Miami, then left school a year early to join the NFL, where he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 2nd round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Portis really burst onto the scene as a rookie. He rushed for 1508 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, making him the best back in the league in his first season. He was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, and he was just as good the next year.

In 2003, he rushed for 1591 yards and 14 touchdowns, again averaging 5.5 yards per carry, which this time led the entire league. He was named to his first Pro Bowl and seemed ready to dominate the league for years. But before the 2004 season, he was traded to the Washington Redskins.

His first year in Washington was rough. He finished with 1315 yards, which seems good, but he only averaged 3.8 yards per carry, and he only scored 5 touchdowns, way below the standard he had set for himself in Denver.

He bounced back somewhat in 2005, gaining 1516 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns, becoming the third player ever to reach 1500 yards 3 times in his first four seasons. He hurt his shoulder in the 2006 preseason, then returned to play 8 games before breaking his hand and missing the rest of the season.

He was fully healthy in 2007, and led the league in carries, but averaged only 3.9 each time he was handed the ball. 2008 was better, with a 4.3 yard average per carry, a total of 1487 yards on the ground, and 9 touchdowns, which got him into the Pro Bowl for the second time.

His 2009 season started off pretty slowly, and then it ended just halfway through when he was knocked unconscious during a game. It took 4 months for him to be cleared to play again. He was ready for the 2010 season, but abdominal and groin injuries limited him to only 5 games and 227 yards, and he was released by the team after the season, leading to his retirement.

Portis was a workhouse back who gained a lot of yardage in his career, but other than in his first two seasons with Denver, his average per carry was at or below the league average. He is high on the list for total yards and touchdowns, but really only had 2 superstar seasons. Either way, Portis was so good during those first two seasons that he didn't need to do anything else to be recognized as one of the greatest backs of all time.






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