Washington Football Team: Rewind to Clinton Portis’ memorable first carry

Ex-Washington Football Team running back Clinton Portis electrified the fan base with a long touchdown run in his first game at FedEx Field.

We are getting there, Washington Football Team fans. Training camp is getting closer with every single day that goes by. However, while you wait, this is a good time to remember those players in franchise history who made a mark.

So many players, and the memorable plays they made, deserve more recognition. Let’s go back to 2004 to find one of those special memories.

The Washington Football Team finally found its man at running back with the acquisition of Clinton Portis via trade in 2004. Drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2002, Washington had to pay a steep price, considering Portis elite skill-set.

Washington traded all-world corner Champ Bailey and the rights to a second-round pick (Tatum Bell). A contract dispute and hurt feelings led to the trade on the Washington side, as did the want and need for a legit running back for the Joe Gibbs 2.0 offense.

While Clinton Portis undoubtedly lived up to expectations throughout his time with the Washington Football Team, he quickly electrified the home crowd with his first touch. To relive that special moment in franchise history, please see the attached highlight clip from YouTube.

This particular writer was at the 2004 opener, which featured Washington and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Portis took his first handoff from WFT quarterback Mark Brunell. The new running back galloped 64 yards for a touchdown, and the rest is history. Sections 126 to 127 were jumping and singing the fight song, as were the thousands of other fans in the stands that day.

What was spectacular about the run was it being so unremarkable in terms of scheme and design. The play was a simple counter. Portis stuck his foot in the ground, and off to the races he went. Former Tampa defender Jermaine Phillips gave chase, but Washington finally had a player, in that moment, that was better than the rest.

Amazingly enough, Clinton Portis’ first carry for Washington would go on to showcase what was to come in future years. He could run fast, block hard, and catch the ball. He was also a generation-defining player along with Santana Moss, and the late Sean Taylor. All three members of the trio were always tough as nails on the field, and were about doing what was necessary in order to help the team win.

CP, as he was affectionately referred to, would finish the ‘04 season with 1,315 yards, plus 5 touchdowns on the ground. He finished his seven-year tenure in Washington by accumulating a total of 6,824 rushing yards, and 46 rushing TDs. Those numbers were good enough for Portis to be included on the 80 greatest players list in WFT history.

Some might say statistics alone define a player’s value to a team. This may be the thought for some, but one could argue that it goes much farther than that. For Clinton Portis, one simple counter play led to so much more. Without that play, there may have never been a “Sheriff Gonna Getcha,” “Southeast Jerome,” or even a “Coach Janky Spanky.” His outgoing, yet rugged personality matched up with the way he played.

As always, thank you for reading this article. We appreciate the time, and hope that you will continue to stick with us here at Riggo’s Rag for constant coverage on all things Washington Football Team.