Clinton Portis is widely regarded as one of the best running backs in college football history, having played a pivotal role on one of the most legendary teams of all time. But what many people don’t know is that his commitment to the University of Miami was completely accidental—and the story behind it is nothing short of wild.
Portis, who would go on to become a star for the Miami Hurricanes, had a stellar college career. In his freshman season, he became only the second true freshman running back to start at Miami since 1975. He set a freshman record with five 100-yard rushing games, finishing the season with 838 yards and eight touchdowns on just 143 carries over 10 games.
Despite briefly losing his starting position during his sophomore year, Portis came roaring back as a junior in 2001, racking up 1,200 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 220 carries, helping Miami to a perfect 12-0 record and a national championship in head coach Larry Coker’s first season.
But before all the accolades and national titles, Portis was actually on a different path. Originally, he planned to attend the University of South Carolina out of Gainesville High School. That all changed when a fight led to South Carolina rescinding his scholarship offer. Florida State was another strong contender for Portis, with legendary coach Lee Corso heavily recruiting him to join the Seminoles. However, fate—or rather, a series of unusual circumstances—led him to Miami.
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The Hurricanes ultimately secured Portis’ commitment during an official visit to Coral Gables in his senior year. However, what’s astonishing is that Portis didn’t even realize he had committed until the next day, when the coaching staff began congratulating him. The story of how this happened is both outrageous and hilarious.
As the tale goes, during his official visit, a group of Miami upperclassmen took Portis out for a night on the town—which included a stop at a strip club. When offered a lap dance, Portis didn’t hesitate to accept, enjoying the attention from one of the exotic dancers. Caught up in the moment, the teenage recruit was having the time of his life, and as the dancer performed, a Miami player leaned over to ask him a question that would change his life forever.
The player asked Portis, “Are you going to come?” In his euphoric state, Portis thought he was being asked about, well, the lap dance. Naturally, he replied, “Yes!” What Portis didn’t realize was that the player was asking if he was going to commit to playing for Miami.
The next day, when Portis arrived at the team facility, he was greeted by a round of congratulations from the Miami coaching staff. They were ecstatic, believing they had secured a verbal commitment from one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. Except Portis had no recollection of agreeing to anything. He, too, was confused when his mother asked why everyone thought he had committed. It wasn’t until the events of the previous night were recounted to him that Portis finally understood: his enthusiastic “yes” to the Miami player had been taken as his official commitment to join the Hurricanes.
In the end, Portis decided to roll with it. He stuck with his unintentional commitment, and the rest, as they say, is history. Though the decision was accidental, it turned out to be the best move of his career. Miami landed one of the top running backs in the country, and Portis, despite the unusual circumstances of his commitment, went on to have a legendary college career. He helped lead the Hurricanes to a national championship as a junior and entered the 2002 NFL Draft, where he was selected in the second round by the Denver Broncos.
Portis made an immediate impact in the NFL, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after rushing for 1,508 yards and 15 touchdowns in his debut season. His NFL career spanned nine seasons, including two Pro Bowl selections and multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
In the end, Clinton Portis’ journey to Miami may have started with a misunderstanding in a strip club, but it culminated in a national championship and a stellar NFL career.
Sometimes, life’s craziest moments lead to the most incredible outcomes, and for Portis, things worked out exactly as they were meant to—even if they started with a lap dance.
