Clinton Portis said he won’t rush back from his concussion, which already has sidelined him for most of one game and all of another. Nor will he return just to regain control of the starting job — coach Jim Zorn has said repeatedly that Portis will not lose that grip anyway.
“I don’t think I can just rush back and have a miraculous recovery,” he said on the John Thompson Show on ESPN 980. “I’ve got to play it safe and I’ve got to do what’s best for me….As long as Ladell [Betts] runs well, there’s no need for me to rush back. But as soon as I get back, I would love to contribute.”
And contribute as a starter.
“If Ladell is going to help us win, I’m all for it,” Portis said. “But as far as me losing my starting position, I doubt that.”
Portis said his body and his ankle feel fine, so perhaps this forced rest because of the concussion will leave his legs fresher down the stretch. He said he still has blurry vision at times.
“They said the recovery is rest and I’ve been sleeping 12 to 13 hours a day, so that’s doing a good job,” he said.
Betts has rushed for 184 yards in the past seven quarters since Portis was hurt. Part of the reason stems from a stronger commitment to the run, Portis said. The line blocked well vs. Denver, too. But it should not be taken as a sign that Portis has lost his pop.
“I put myself up against anybody in the NFL on any day of the week,” he said.
