While baseball has long been considered the American Pastime, football has made the full-fledged transformation into America’s Game.

As the game has grown in popularity, millions have flocked to get a glimpse of games from Thursdays through Mondays.

Need proof?

How about the Redskins-Cowboys Week 17 do-or-die game that drew record numbers from the Sunday Night Football slot, the league has a network dedicated exclusively to league content 24/7, 365, and one of the greatest video game franchises that has transitioned from generation to generation of video game consoles as evidence of the game’s rise.

That’s right folks, the timeless gaming classic named after one of the greatest football minds in history, Madden, has captured countless hours of gaming fun and even the occasional frustration from living rooms across the globe.

No vote would be complete in the month of March without a bracket, and with 25 years of players to choose from to be on the cover, there are 64 players that could receive the prestigious honor.

Find out which Redskins players could grace the cover of Madden 25 here:

The bracket has been broken down into two different eras, “old school” and “new school” as the Redskins have a representative for each era.

First up representing the Washington Redskins from the University of Miami, two-time Pro Bowler and one of the most beloved players of all-time, running back Clinton Portis.

Portis is a 12th seed and will be matched up again a fellow former Pro Bowl running back, Indianapolis Colts/St. Louis Rams great Marshall Faulk.

Faulk burst onto the season as a rookie in 1994 to the tune of 1,282 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, and 14 touchdowns. It was considered one of the greatest performances on  the ground in league history by a rookie, however, Portis’s debut campaign seven years later was one for the record books.

Portis didn’t find himself in the Broncos starting lineup, under then head coach Mike Shanahan, until Week 5 and thrived under his expanded role.

He would muster an incredible 1,508 yards in his rookie season to an average on 5.5 yards per carry and 15 touchdowns along with an additional 364 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns; putting opponents on notice that he was going to be a lethal threat for years to come.

In 2004, Portis traded in his Bronco blue jersey for a better looking Burgundy and Gold outfit. It’s safe to say the change of scenery had no effect on Portis, as on his first ever carry for the Redskins he torched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 64 yard touchdown and would finish the season with over 1,300 yards on the ground.

In seven seasons in the DMV, Portis rushed for 6,824 yards and 46 touchdowns in only 84 games.

(Photo from Game Informer)

For his career, Faulk had 12,279 yards and 100 touchdowns to Portis’s 9,923 yards and 75 touchdowns. While those numbers tilt in favor of Faulk, you do need to factor in the number of games played by each. Faulk appeared in 176 career games while Portis had only 113 games in the NFL.

If Portis had played the same number of games as Faulk, we are certain that he would have passed Faulk’s 100 touchdowns and join him along with seven other men including former Redskins John Riggins and Shaun Alexander in the exclusive club.

In the “new school” portion of the bracket, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is a number one seed going against fellow 2012 first-round selection Ryan Tannehill.

While we could spent the next few paragraphs highlighting Griffin III’s remarkable transition to the NFL, instead, just watch this video above as an endorsement for number 10′s campaign.

While Tannehill was phenomenal in his new home in Florida, he did not lead his team to the playoffs, win AP Rookie of the Year, or lead the league in jersey sales.

Just sayin’.

Griffin also has some experience being on the cover of a game. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner graced the cover of NCAA Football 13 in his Baylor digs. I wonder if Portis and Griffin III could be on the cover together?

To vote for Portis and Griffin III, click on the link here.

Hail to the Redskins!

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Get Your Bye Weekend Started Off With Harvey, Mitchell and Portis

Washington Redskins alumni Ken Harvey, Brian Mitchell and Clinton Portis — who were selected to a combined nine Pro Bowls — will be making appearances Saturday at three newly-remodeled Washington, D.C.- area Best Buy stores. So pick your alumni and find out which store they’ll be at.

The events are the perfect way to get your weekend off on the right foot while the Redskins are away for their Bye Week. The participating Best Buy stores will be serving a free breakfast and the first 300 fans receive a gift bag and could win a gift card between $10 and $1,000.

Here are the details of Saturday’s appearances by Harvey, Mitchell and Portis:

Arrive early:

- Enjoy breakfast fare before the doors open starting at 8:30 a.m.
- The first 300 customers will receive a gift bag with a mystery gift card valued between $10 and $1,000 (must be 18 years or older) when doors open at 10 a.m.
- Best Buy grand re-opening ceremony begins with a ribbon cutting at 9:45 a.m.
- Enter for a chance to win two prizes every hour
- Meet and take a photo with Redskins alumni at these three Best Buy locations:

Linebacker Ken Harvey — Saturday, Nov. 10; Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Best Buy
20914 Frederick Road
Germantown, MD 20876

About Harvey:
Signed by the Redskins as a free agent in March 1994, linebacker Ken Harvey became the first Redskins player to lead the NFC in sacks in 1994 (tied with Minnesota’s John Randle with 13.5). Harvey finished his career with 89 sacks and was named to four consecutive Pro Bowls (1994-97).

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Running back Brian Mitchell — Saturday, Nov. 10; Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Best Buy
45575 Dulles Eastern Plaza Suite 188
Sterling, VA 20165

About Mitchell:
One of the greatest return men in NFL history, Brian Mitchell holds record for most combined yards in Redskins’ history, while also holding the record for most punts returned for touchdowns as a Redskin with seven. A 1995 Pro Bowl selection, Mitchell became the NFL record holder with 11,735 kickoff return yards and 4,278 punt return yards. The first time he touched the ball as a pro, Mitchell returned the opening kickoff of preseason 92 yards for a touchdown against Atlanta.

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Running back Clinton Portis — Saturday, Nov. 10; Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Best Buy
3401 Jefferson Davis Highway
Alexandria, VA 22305

About Portis:
Clinton Portis spent seven years of his nine-year NFL career in Washington from 2004-10, compiling 6,824 rushing yards with the Redskins, the second-most in team history. Portis is responsible for the two-most prolific rushing seasons in team history, posting a franchise-record 1,516 rushing yards during the 2005 season and putting together a 1,487-yard season in 2008.

Clinton Portis, the Redskins great running back who announced his retirement from football on Thursday, caught up with the Redskins Blog during the first and second quarters of today’s preseason matchup between the Redskins and the Indianapolis Colts.

We just happened to have good timing when talking with Portis — it was smack dab in the middle of the Redskins’ first touchdown drive of the game.

That touchdown, by the way, was scored by rookie running back Alfred Morris, who grew up idolizing Portis, the Redskins’ second-leading rusher in franchise history who on Friday was elected one of the 80 Greatest Players in team history.

Here’s the interview with Portis, who talks about the Robert Griffin III-Andrew Luck hype, the Redskins’ defense, his memories of playing at FedExField, his attitude when it came to being a great blocking back and much more:

Washington Redskins great running back Clinton Portis just moments ago announced his retirement from football and from the Redskins in a ceremony at the team’s Ashburn, Va., facility.

For seven seasons, Portis gave the Redskins fans the gift of playing the hardest football imaginable — he was a fearless runner and pass blocker who put fear in opposing linebackers in more ways than one.

The Redskins today gave Portis a gift in exchange for all that hard work: an awesome painting depicting the running back carrying the ball against the New York Giants.

Artist LeRoy Neiman painted this beautiful piece of art and titled it “Washington Redskins In FedExField.” It was completed in October, 2005.

Redskins’ public relations staffers Angela Alfano and Dave Lankster are seen in the photos handling the photo and getting it ready for the unveiling.

(AP photo)

Today’s the big day for Redskins great running back Clinton Portis, who will announce his retirement this afternoon in a ceremony at Redskins Park.

The Redskins Blog and Redskins.com will, of course, be all over it, but there’s a couple places you can go for up-to-the-minute coverage before, during and after today’s festivities.

- Follow the Redskins’ Twitter account for some photos and live commentary from Portis’s visit.
- And follow the Redskins’ Instagram account (@Redskins) for a majority of the exclusive photos from today’s announcement.

The press conference is set for 2:30 p.m. at Redskins Park.

I’d also suggest following us on Twitter and Facebook for a chance at some very awesome prizes…

Just a heads up.

(AP photo)

Even if he didn’t have an outstanding seven-year career with the Washington Redskins, running back Clinton Portis still would’ve been remembered as one of the most colorful characters to grace the burgundy and gold.

Portis — who will announce his retirement from football in a ceremony Thursday at Redskins Park — will leave the game as the Redskins’ No. 2 all-time rusher, trailing only the great John Riggins.

But Portis, a former University of Miami star who was acquired by the Redskins via trade with the Denver Broncos in 2002, was also very well-known for breaking out a variety of alter egos during his encounters with the local and national media.

Here’s an awesome slideshow of just a few of those characters, followed by a couple videos of Portis’s shenanigans:

Here’s a video of Dr. Do Itch Big, Prime Minister Yah Mon, Bud Foxx and Electra (via RipCL):

And Dolemite Jenkins (via WashFan222):

(AP photo)

The Washington Redskins today said great running back Clinton Portis will announce his retirement in a press conference at Redskins Park on Thursday.

Portis played for the Redskins from 2004 through 2010 and ended his career in Washington as the franchise’s second-leading rusher of all-time (6,824 yards), and his 1,516 yards gained in the 2005 season is a Redskins’ single-season record.

Check out the photo gallery below (thanks to the Associated Press) of Portis’s great performances through the years in a Redskins uniform.

Congratulations to Clinton on a tremendous career, and this assuredly won’t be the last Clinton Portis news on the Redskins Blog this week. Stay tuned.

If the only memories Clinton Portis left Redskins fans with had to do with his colorful character — which included his alter-egos like Sheriff Gonna Getcha, The Mad Scientist, Kid Bro Sweets, Dr. I Don’t Know and Southeast Jerome — then that alone would probably make him one of the most beloved team members of all time.

But the fact that Portis was an even better running back than he was an entertainer — ending his Redskins career as the second-leading rusher in franchise history — then his legacy as one of the all-time greats can certainly be considered sealed.

From 2004 to 2010, Portis was selected to two Pro Bowls as he finished 8,164 yards from scrimmage and had 26 100-yard games.

Most of all, the University of Miami product said he learned how to grow up during his time in D.C.

“I think I came here as a 22 year-old beginning to understand life and I left as a 30 year-old grown man,” Portis said. “For seven years the maturity level, understanding the business side of things, the blood, sweat and tears, how big redskins nation really is and how the fans of Redskins nation love this organization.”

Portis gave Redskins fans an immediate glimpse into what they were in for in his first game with the team in 2004, when he took his first carry 64 yards for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Portis’s best season with the Redskins was in 2005 when he rushed for 1,516 yards — breaking the team record for rushing yards in a season — with 11 touchdowns. He also averaged 4.3 yards per carry.

In all, Portis rushed for at least 1,200 yards in the four seasons he played 15 games or more with the Redskins.

Portis said he’ll always remember two things about his Redskins career: the fans and the rivalries.

“Win, lose or draw, they’re going to come to fill that stadium every week — you have many markets whose teams are doing decent and it’s hard to get a sellout, but here it doesn’t matter,” he said. “The rivalries, you can never take away the New York Giants, the Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys. Just having the opportunity to experience those games was amazing.”

Note: The Redskins Blog will be profiling several former players, coaches and team officials eligible to be voted by you, the fans, in this year’s Redskins 80th Anniversary celebration. To vote for Jon Jansen or your 10 other all-timers to join the already-chosen list of the 70 Greatest Redskins, go to http://www.redskins80th.com/

He was about as country as country gets, known for driving his pickup truck full of fishing gear or even a Winnebago to Redskins Park for practices.

But make no mistake — though Jon “Rock” Jansen loved the outdoors and his country spirit, he also loved punishing defensive linemen, linebackers and anybody else who came his way in a career where he became one of the greatest right tackles in Redskins history.

Jansen hails from Clawson, Mich., a smaller community with a population hovering around 12,000. He starred on offense and defense at Clawson High School before becoming known as “Rock” at the University of Michigan, where he set a school record by starting in 50 straight games.

Jansen was the Redskins’ second-round (37th overall) selection in the 1999 NFL Draft, and made an immediate impact on the team’s offensive line. It wasn’t until 2006 — his seventh year in the league — that Jansen didn’t start all 16 games he played in, and in that 2006 season, he started all 15 games in which he played.

Jansen was a constant on the offensive line in a decade dominated by Redskins’ running backs Stephen Davis and Clinton Portis. Davis rushed for 4,975 yards in his four years with Jansen as his right tackle; Portis rushed for 6,103 yards in his five seasons alongside Jansen.

When all was said and done, Jansen started 123 of the 126 games he played in during his nine-year career with the Redskins.

He also played tough through several injuries throughout his career. He played most of the 2005 season with two broken thumbs, but still managed to open gaping holes for Portis, who rushed for 1,516 yards and 11 touchdowns that season.

Through it all, Jansen prided himself on rarely missing a snap — or even a practice — during his time in Washington.

“Playing offensive line, you’re going to get banged up, but you lead by example playing through it,” Jansen told the Washington Times in 2007. “I like proving I’m tougher than the next guy.”

But that’s just me. Portis was the kind of player who inspired a lot of different reactions from people, and the reactions to his departure were correspondingly varied. Here are a few.

The one that resonated the most with me came from JP Finlay writing at Mister Irrelevant: “Anyone reading this far remembers his first run in his first game as a Redskin,” he writes. “The 65-yard TD. There was so much promise that day. So much excitement. Don’t forget that CP was a game-changing, dynamic RB in his Denver days. The swagger was deserved.” It’s a good tribute, and worth reading. But it was far from the only response. (There’s plenty more in the links for each of these.)

• Former teammate LaVar Arrington, at WaPo: “Shanahan has to work to crack the code of how to turn this team into a winner. When that’s the main objective, tough decisions have to made, and sometimes that means parting ways with players who meant so much to a franchise. It’s a harsh reality for players, fans and coaches.”
• FedEx Al at It Is What It Is: “I wanted to say thanks. Thanks for all of the hard work. Thanks for the quotable moments to look forward to on Tuesdays and Thursdays (Portis’ appearances with the media). Thanks for South East Jerome and your posse of characters that brought the team together in 2005.”
• From DCSportsRadio.com: “I have yet to tell my 3 year old that Clinton Portis is not a Washington Redskin. It’s his favorite player. He lights up when he puts on his #26 jersey on Sunday…and just loves watching Clinton run, block and catch.”
• Dave at Staying Medium: “He clearly had no malice, he simply lacks the filter most of us have in the brain that says “I’m on the radio right now. I should pause and think about how this will sound and reconsider the phrasing, or perhaps leave it unsaid altogether.’ Instead a thought popped up, it came right out, and in a matter of no time it was splattered all over the internet. Was that the coolest thing about Portis or the most problematic? I truly can’t decide.”
• Kevin at Hogs Haven: “As much heat as Portis has taken over the years, I firmly believe a lot of it was undeserved. The relationship Clinton and Gibbs had was undeniable, and the former Hurricane RB did everything that was asked of him, including playing hurt. There was four, FOUR, seasons Portis had with the Redskins where he had 325+ carries. That is absurd. Steven Jackson has only done that twice in his relatively healthy career.”
• And Dan Steinberg at the DC Sports Bog looked back at Portis’ initial press conference and found this spectacular quote: “‘No one could have imagined that I would be out of Denver anytime soon,’ Portis said. ‘Now, I’m hanging with Coach Gibbs.’”