Just got off the phone with multiple league sources who confirmed that running back Clinton Portis and fullback Mike Sellers had a heated verbal exchange earlier this week over Portis's frustration about Sellers's blocking this season.
No punches were thrown during the argument - which occurred Monday at Redskins Park and was first reported late Thursday night by WRC (Channel 4) sports reporter and anchor Dan Hellie - but the players had to be separated and restrained, the sources said. From what we're hearing, Sellers confronted Portis at the complex after learning Portis requested to have Sellers removed from the game during Sunday's 16-13 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FedEx Field.
While speaking with coaches, Portis requested to have blocking tight end Todd Yoder take Sellers's place in the backfield against the Buccaneers. Apparently, Portis's frustration stemmed for the ill-fated fourth-and-goal play in the 19-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on which Sellers failed to execute his blocking assignment, Portis failed to score and Detroit took over on downs.
In a text message to a reporter, one source emphasized no punches were exchanged, and he played down the argument as players "simply letting off some steam." But the Sellers-Portis incident underscores the tension at the complex during a week in which owner Daniel Snyder hired an offensive consultant, Sherman Lewis, because of his dissatisfaction with the poor point production of Coach Jim Zorn's version of the West Coast offense, and in which defensive coordinator Greg Blache, a week after emphasizing the need for personal accountability, informed team officials he no longer would answer questions from reporters - a mandated duty under NFL rules for all coordinators.
The Redskins (2-2) face the Carolina Panthers (0-3) on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
