| Portis was one of the league's most charismatic players. (Getty Images) |
Clinton Portis announced earlier this week that he was retiring from the NFL. On Thursday afternoon it became official when Redskins owner Dan Snyder hosted a press conference in Portis' honor. Mike Shanahan, who coached Portis in both Denver and Washington, spoke glowingly about the former University of Miami running back.
“I had him in Denver and drafted him,” Shanahan said Wednesday via the Washington Post. “I remember taking a look at him and I said, ‘This guy is probably the most physical back I’ve ever been around.’ The way he would pass protect, he was just so tough. It didn’t matter if it was a linebacker or a defensive lineman; he was going to stick his face in there. He never held back anything. He did such a great job running for us and had so many good plays. When I say ‘us,’ at that time I was in Denver. When he came here, even though it was the end of his career, he was still as tough as he always was. He was a natural leader. I really enjoyed being around him.”
And that's the thing about Portis, who rushed for 9,923 yards in his career and scored 75 touchdowns: he was as good a blocker as he was a runner. He was also one of the NFL's most charismatic players. We lived in Washington, D.C. for most of Portis' career and while we'll never be mistaken for Redskins fans, he was easily one of our all-time favorite players.
So instead of recounting all his on-field accomplishments we'll use this space to honor Portis for his memorable off-field performances. For us, that boils down to two things: his character-driven press conferences and those Eastern Motors commercials.
| In this interview, Dolemite Jenkins is looking for Southeast Jerome. |
| This is Choo-Choo. He's a dance instructor. |
| Remember: Your job is your credit. |
| This may be the most underrated commercial in the history of television. |
Finally, and perhaps fittingly, Portis reflects on his journey via Twitter:
Time to walk the green mile, spent half my life on the gridiron never figured i would get butterflies preparing to walk away
— Clinton Portis (@TheRealC_Portis) August 23, 2012
Thanks to all my fans, haters, friends, family and teammates. This game wouldn't have been the same w/o you all.
— Clinton Portis (@TheRealC_Portis) August 23, 2012
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Ryan Wilson on Twitter here: @ryanwilson_07.