FanIQ › Players

Player

Clinton Portis

RB (retired)

Clinton Portis: facts drawn from the play-by-play.

FanIQ Research · May 10, 2026 · 6 facts, every one from the play-by-play

9-year career across DEN + WAS. 9,923 career rushing yards. 2x Pro Bowler.

Milestone

Career regular-season totals

Stat	Total
Games	116
Carries	2,283
Rush Yards	10,096
Rush TDs	76
Y/Att	4.42

DEN 2-year emergence (2002-03) was both 1,500+ yard seasons. Then 7 productive WAS years.

Trend

Portis career

Year	Tm	Att	Yds	TDs
2002	DEN	273	1,508	15 (rookie)
2003	DEN	307	1,659	14
2005	WAS	368	1,569	12
2007	WAS	345	1,314	11
2008	WAS	342	1,487	9

Rushing yards by year

Season	Yards
2002	1508
2003	1659
2005	1569
2007	1314
2008	1487

He was traded from DEN to WAS in 2004 for Champ Bailey + a 2nd-round pick — among the most-debated RB trades.

Rare

Portis-Bailey trade

Detail	Note
Year	2004
DEN got	Champ Bailey + 2nd-rd pick
WAS got	Clinton Portis
Bailey Pro Bowls (post-trade)	10
Portis Pro Bowls (post-trade)	1

DEN years: 3,167 yards in 2 seasons. WAS years: 6,824 yards in 7 seasons.

Split

Portis career splits

Stop	Years	Yds	TDs
DEN	2002-2003	3,167	29
WAS	2004-2010	6,824	47

His 5 1,300+ yard rushing seasons before age 28 is among the most for any RB of the cap era.

Comparison

Pre-28 1,300-yd RB seasons

Player	Pre-28 1,300+ yd seasons
Adrian Peterson	6
Tomlinson	7
Walter Payton	7
Clinton Portis	5

His 2004 WAS 1,315-yard year on a 6-10 team produced his only career-low YPC (3.83) — the offense around him collapsed.

Anomaly

Portis 2004 anomaly

Stat	Value
Att	343 (career high in volume)
Yds	1,315
YPC	3.83
Tm record	6-10

FanIQ answers any NFL stats question with receipts, on your phone.

Get FanIQ free Get it on Google Play