ASHBURN – Running back Clinton Portis is done for the season. And, perhaps, for his Redskins career. The Redskins will place Portis on injured reserve after he suffered a tear in his lower abdomen in Sunday’s 19-16 win over Tennessee. Portis had missed five games when he suffered a third-degree separation of his groin on Oct. 3 at Philadelphia.
Portis will undergo surgery on his lower abdomen by Dr. James Andrews, a team consultant.
“It’s disappointing because he’s worked so hard to get to where he was at,” Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said of Portis.
But that also leaves in doubt Portis’ future with Washington. He’ll turn 30 before next season starts, and he will have missed 19 games combined in the previous two years. Plus, he’s owed a salary of approximately $8.3 million.
Shanahan said he thinks Portis can return.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it,” Shanahan said. “He’s got strong will. He’s got that inner drive that most people don’t have.”
Portis had suffered a setback with his groin leading up to the Nov. 15 game vs. Philadelphia. But Shanahan said he doesn’t second guess the decision to play Portis a week later. Shanahan also said the injury is in a new area and not necessarily related to the groin.
“He was ready the week before,” Shanahan said. “Clinton wanted to play against Philly, and I said, ‘Hey, don’t go.’ If you wait another week or two weeks, how do you know for sure? You’ve just got to go with your gut and see how a guy practices. He practiced well.”
Portis ends the season with 227 yards and 6,824 for his Redskins career. He’s second on the franchise’s all-time list, trailing John Riggins by 648 yards.
“Anytime you lose a guy like Clinton, it’s more than just the rushing yards,” Redskins guard Artis Hicks said. “He was great at picking up blitzes, blocking down the field for receivers. He was a leader amongst that group.”
“People worry about some of the things we had going on,” Redskins receiver Santana Moss said. “He was one of those guys that held down that backfield when it came to blocking, too. That’s one of the things I’m gonna miss.”
His injury also means that Keiland Williams, Ryan Torain and James Davis will carry the load for the next six games. However, Torain will miss his third straight game Sunday because of a hamstring injury; Williams could start his second game or Davis his first.
“Torain has done a great job picking his game up,” Hicks said. “Whenever he comes back he’s going to continue on with the success he was having. That’s what it’s all about, the next guy picking up the slack.”
Hicks raved about Williams, who gained 68 yards vs. Tennessee on Sunday.
“To be a rookie and have all this thrown at you and to play the way he’s playing, it speaks volumes of what kind of guy he is,” Hicks said. “He’s a real good running back; he’s a tough guy.”
