Portis says he'll play again -- somewhere

Redskins running back Clinton Portis said Tuesday that while he doesn't believe the concussion that ended his season will end his career, his time in Washington may well be up after this season because the team, a disappointment at 4-9, will likely undergo significant changes.

"I can't sit and tell you I want my career to be over here," Portis said at FedEx Field, where he helped distribute holiday gifts as part of the Redskins' contribution to the U.S. Marine Corps's "Toys for Tots" program. "But at the same time, you got to understand the business side of things. I've been here for six years, and we went to the playoffs twice. I think Mr. [Daniel] Snyder, with the pressure that's on him with the organization, probably going to have to make changes. For everything that go on, I'm to blame, so why wouldn't I be the change?"

Portis suffered a concussion at the end of a run Nov. 8 at Atlanta, and has not played since. Last week, when additional tests showed he still had lingering symptoms, the Redskins placed him on season-ending injured reserve. He had not spoken with reporters since the incident, but said, "I don't think for one second it's going to be career-ending," despite the fact the NFL and its teams have started to take much closer looks at concussions, Portis said.

He also said, though, that he wouldn't be surprised if his career continued elsewhere.
"I think as long as I'm healthy, man, I'm not worried about playing anywhere in the NFL," Portis said. "I feel like I am going to compete and will compete at a high level anywhere I am. I would love to be here. I'm grateful of everything this organization done for me. At the same time, it's just understanding the business side of things. I could be selfish and say, 'Oh, man, look at my production, look what I've done.' But we don't have anything to show for my production. So if it happened, it happened, and I can understand that."

Portis said he thought he might be cleared to play in last week's game against Oakland, but he could not pass the final test -- which involved testing his vision by using goggles. He still has some problems with his right eye, he said, which has to work too hard to get focused, particularly at night. He said he was comfortable with the diagnosis.

"I would love to play, but at the same time I don't think when you got the opportunity to play again next year and in the years to come, why risk it?" he said. "I think this is a first-time thing. Is it scary? Of course. At the time that it happened, I wanted to continue playing in the Falcons game. You go back and see what happened and see that I land on the field motionless and all of a sudden you see the side effects of what's going on, I think it's more how they scare you, the conversation from the outside world. 'Oh, man, this could happen, this could happen.'

"At the same time, what's going to happen's going to happen. I think God puts you in situations. If it was meant to happen, no matter how healthy I think I am, if it's going to happen and I get hit again, it's going to happen."
Portis said whether second-year coach Jim Zorn returns to the Redskins will have no bearing on how he feels about his future in Washington.

"I feel like whether he [is] here or not, I would love to come back to this team, but that choice isn't mine," Portis said.
"I think Coach Zorn would love to be here as well, but that choice isn't his. So I think you see guys going out and playing for Coach Zorn, guys giving everything they got. Whether he [is] here, whether I'm here, I think this organization got to do what's best for them. Me and Coach Zorn and whoever else have got to leave this organization got to know we got another opportunity to continue our career, and hopefully it works out on that end."

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(washingonpost.com)