Department of Bad News: Clinton Portis

Done

The Redskins have finally placed injured tailback Clinton Portis on the season ending injured reserve list, since suffering a massive concussion on his fifth carry of game eight at the Atlanta Falcons exactly one month ago on 8 November 2009 Clinton has not played, missing four games, now he will miss the final four games of the season.

While disappointing so some, the move was not entirely unexpected, the team had hoped Clinton would come back, his recovery has been slow and with the team mired in a 1-3 streak since Clinton went down the team just decided to shut him down. Clinton had been cleared to play by his local doctor on Tuesday 1 December, he and the team waited until his examination by a brain trauma specialist in Pittsburgh yesterday. That medical team did not clear him to play (op. cit.) and the team decided it had to move on.

As with teammate and now fellow injured reserve player tight end Chris Cooley, the initial optimism that Clinton could be back quickly and better than evar steadily gave way to the reality that his injury was worse than expected, despite the hopeful tones struck by the Redskins organization, over here at Curly R and in and amongst some Redskins fan circles, no one ever bought the happy talk, as far back as 22 November and again here and here, we predicted 2009 was over for Clinton. This does not make me smart, it simply means I read what the team wasn't saying as much as what it was.

Clinton has a ginormous contract, he renegotiated his deal in March of 2008 and if the team were to cut him before 1 June 2010 it would face a salary cap hit of nearly fifteen million dollars. With running backs more fungible than ever these days it would seem tough decisions are ahead for the Redskins. I just hope Clinton gets better and takes care of himself.

Clinton Portis becomes the tenth Redskins player to hit injured reserve, joining quarterback Colt Brennan, right guard Randy Thomas, left tackle Chris Samuels, safety Chris Horton, tailback Ladell Betts, tight end Chris Cooley, defensive end Jeremy Jarmon, right guard Chad Rinehart and fullback Eddie Williams. When it rains it pours.



A trainer attending to Clinton Portis in game eight on 8 November 2009: AP Photo from here.