Ex-NFL star Clinton Portis recounts nearly being driven to murder after bankruptcy

After being scammed, Portis contemplated murder until his friend dissuaded him

A one-time NFL star, Portis was nearly driven to murder after financial woes. USATSI

Clinton Portis is a long time removed from NFL stardom. The former Broncos and Redskins back's post-NFL career drove him to financial ruin, thanks in no small part to a financial manager that tied his funds up in various investments. The investments ended disastrously, and culminated in Portis sitting outside of his manager's house with a gun.

Portis was candid in talking about his intentions in a tell-all interview with Sports Illustrated.

"It wasn't no beat up," he said. "It was kill."

Portis's financial issues are no secret. He filed for bankruptcy back in 2015, but it wasn't entirely due to poor investments. Portis told SI that he had no problem dropping excessive amounts of money on women, cars and houses. All of this created a perfect storm for Portis, and his financial struggles eventually caught up to him. Portis had already sued financial advisor Jeff Rubin in the past, when Rubin had opened an account in Portis's name with a forged signature.

Portis would go on to win the case, which lost Rubin his privilege to work in the financial sector, but he wasn't prosecuted further. This infuriated Portis. Jinesh Brahmbhatt, who had swindled him in a Ponzi scheme, was also named in Portis's suit. It is unknown which manager Portis was waiting for as he contemplated murder, or even if it was one of the named managers.

Primed to kill, Portis was talked out of it by an anonymous friend. A television producer, the friend was also trained in family therapy. Ultimately, he was able to cool Portis off long enough for the former NFL star to collect himself. Portis knows what was at stake, telling SI that if he'd seen the intended victim before he simmered down "we'd probably be doing this interview from prison."

Portis spent nine years in the NFL, two with the Broncos after being selected in the second round of the 2002 draft and seven with the Redskins after being traded for Champ Bailey and a second-round pick in 2004. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year after a brilliant freshman campaign in which he piled up 1,508 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. He topped 1,500 rushing yards two more times in his career and managed a total of six 1,000-yard seasons in all.

Portis now works various jobs to make a living, including covering some Redskins preseason games. His story is a cautionary one, and although not all ex-players are driven to considering murder, many are exploited during their playing days and past retirement. It's fortunate that Portis's story didn't end much, much worse. And it's likely that other stories have.