Clinton Portis Gets Sentimental After Being Placed On IR

This quote by no means indicates that Clinton Portis is going to retire, but the notion is on his mind. From his weekly radio show appearance:

“I think I’ll get well,” Portis said on his weekly radio appearance on ESPN980. “I have to put the time into rehabbing and continuing to do what the doctors say, but at the same time, to have the opportunity to play for eight years and play and compete and not miss many games … if it’s my time and I look back today, I think I had a great career. No one wants to finish on an injury, but at the same time I enjoyed it and I would love to come back.”

As MJD at Shutdown Corner points out, CP has never been the predictable type, but he is also fiercely competitive. He’s 28 and still has some mileage left in his legs, which makes it hard to imagine he’d walk away right now. Although at this point in his career, he’s no longer a feature back. If he returns to the Skins in 2010, he’ll likely be part of a RB committee, something the Skins have had moderate success with in Portis’ absence.

Via the Washington Redskins’ official twitter feed comes the not-so-unexpected news that running back Clinton Portis will miss the remainder of the season and be placed on IR.

Team vice president (and de facto GM) Vinny Cerrato released a statement saying:

Clinton’s prognosis is good, and we expect him to make a full recovery and return to the Redskins

Portis suffered a concussion against the Falcons in Week 9, and has sidelined since then.

Redskins’ RB Clinton Portis will miss another week of action as he recovers from a concussion sustained against the Falcons in Week 9 reports the Washington Post via Twitter.

Portis is scheduled to undergo tests on Monday to determine if and/or when he will return to the lineup.

Things are getting grim for the Redskins’ offense. With backup running back Ladell Betts out for the season after tearing both his left ACL and PCL, the team has already ruled out starter Clinton Portis for Week 12 due to lingering effects from his concussion, according to Rick Maese of the Washington Post.

While the team has not announced a timeline for Portis’ return, Maese says that the Redskins are not considering placing him on IR — at least not yet.

Clinton Portis will consult with a concussion specialist in Pittsburgh, according to Rick Maese of the Washington Post.

Portis was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion on a double-hit to the head during the Redskins’ game against the Falcons. He has been sidelined since due to the headaches and blurred vision he has experienced since then.

Presumably Portis will meet with the same specialists that recently-concussed Eagles running back Brian Westbrook visited in Pittsburgh last week.

The Washington Post’s Rick Maese tweets:

zorn has ruled portis out Sunday

This is hardly surprising given the severity of the concussion Portis sustained. It also wouldn’t be shocking if Brian Westbrook’s setback — he suffered a second concussion within three weeks after returning to the field — influences the Redskins to be more cautious with Portis.

Ladell Betts will get the start in Portis’ absence when the Skins travel to Dallas on Sunday.

This from Rick Maese’s twitter:

Zorn says Clinton Portis is doubtful. He visited doctors today.

If Portis is unable to go Saturday when the Redskins travel to Dallas on Sunday, Ladell Betts will get the majority of carries in his place. The Skins indicated earlier in the week that they would take their time with Portis, especially given how well Betts has run the ball in his stead.

Here's a depressing thought: Washington fans may have seen Clinton Portis play his final game in a Skins uniform. Jason Reid of the Washington Post reports that Portis is still experiencing ringing in his head after suffering a concussion during the team's Week 9 loss to the Falcons. According to head coach Jim Zorn, the team may decide that it is in Portis' long-term best interests not to play in the season's second half, and even in a best-case scenario it seems likely Portis will sit out a few games.

Given the potentially serious and long-lasting repercussions of concussions, the Redskins are certainly making the right move playing it safe with Portis. This is especially true given that the Skins are already out of contention.

If the Skins clean house in the offseason as expected, it wouldn't be altogether shocking for the new regime to go in a different direction at running back, considering the mileage Portis has racked up during his career and his well-documented injury problems. If that happens, Skins fans will miss Southeast Jerome.

Portis was knocked unconscious in the first half of last week's loss to the Falcons on a vicious double-hit to the head. Video of the play below:

Clinton Portis will be sidelined for the Redskins’ Week 10 game against the Broncos as he recovers from the lingering effects of the concussion he suffered last week, according to Jason Reid of the Washington Post.

Ladell Betts will take Portis’ place in the staring lineup when the Skins host the Broncos on Sunday. Betts rushed 15 times for 70 yards last week in relief of the injured Portis. Betts has proved himself to be a more than capable backup throughout his career, highlighted by his standout 2006 season, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards in Portis’ absence.

Anyone who saw the injury wouldn’t need Clinton Portis to tell them he was knocked out cold, but just to make things official:

Portis lay face-down on the turf for a few seconds before team athletic trainers rolled him over. Coach Jim Zorn said Portis was “knocked out.”

“You tell me what happened,” Portis said after the game. “I don’t remember what happened.”

As for how long the Redskins will be without CP:

“He had kind of one of those smiles on his face that you know [he] was wondering what the heck happened,” Zorn said. “I would never make a diagnosis on a guy getting knocked out. We just have to wait and see. There’ll be some tests to see whether or not there was a concussion and how long it takes.”

Zorn said the team would be “cautious” about Portis’s return. Portis spent the second half of the game on the sideline in a T-shirt and athletic shorts.

“I got a headache,” he said. “I’m sore. But I think I’ll be all right.”

Portis’ back-up, Ladell Betts, had one of the best Redskins’ rushing performances of this offensively-inept season, picking up 70 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Based on the somewhat-yet-not-cautious-enough way that teams handle concussions now, expect Betts to get the start this Sunday against the Broncos.

Fox Sports’ broadcasters just reported that Portis will not be returning today, and has suffered a concussion. If you’re keeping score at home, that means Redskins’ perennial Pro Bowlers Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels, and Clinton Portis are all sidelined with injuries.

When it rains, it… Err, you get comic levels of bad luck and all your good players get injured. Hopefully Portis won’t be sidelined as long as his peers.