Ex-NFL great Clinton Portis took shot of Hennessy before games, used it to cope with pain

Clinton Portis talked about using alcohol to cope with football pain. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Former NFL great Clinton Portis said Monday he would take a shot of Hennessy before games as a form of pain management to deal with the effects of football.

Portis, 37, made the revelation on the FS1 show “Fair Game with Kristine Leahy.” He explained that his ritual of taking the pregame shot helped him get focused for the game, likening the shot to drinking before going to the club.

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“It was a turn-up,” Portis said. “For me, it wasn't like I was getting drunk. We took one shot.”

The former Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos running back said he used the shot of Hennessy to cope with the pain football caused him instead of turning to painkillers or drugs.

“After I took that shot, it was like, ‘OK, now it's time to go do this’ instead of going to lay down and take a Toradol shot, which all of the sudden, it comes out and it's hazardous to your health,” he said.

Portis spent nine years in the NFL. He rushed for 9,923 yards and scored 75 rushing touchdowns.