When the Washington Redskins signed former New York Giants safety Landon Collins this off-season, team owner Dan Snyder gave Collins a game-worn, autographed Sean Taylor jersey.
Collins, who wears #21 in honor of his idol, said it would be an honor to be the first Redskins player to wear the #21 since Taylor passed away in 2007, so long as Taylor's family was cool with it.
If the decision was up to Taylor's former teammate Clinton Portis, the answer would be simple: "Fuck no."
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The Athletic's Rhiannon Walker recently spoke with Portis, who explained he doesn't want to see anyone wearing the #21 for the Redskins ever again.
Per The Athletic:
"Fuck no," Portis said. "Fuck no. I don’t ever want to see nobody else in it. When the situation came up for me with 26, I don't care. But 21, that’s sacred. Why even play with people? Why even spark people’s memories? Retire that jersey. For an organization that don’t retire jerseys or don’t officially retire jerseys, you put that motherfucker in the rafters, you retire it, and you make sure everybody knows, this is irreplaceable."
(Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images)
Portis added,
"I would definitely never get over seeing his jersey being worn, so I don’t even think Landon should put that pressure on himself. Have your admiration. Have your appreciation, and let it be done. It’s cool to admire, to love, to appreciate, to view someone in that aspect, but even if you had the opportunity to wear No. 21, you shouldn’t do it. I remember they asked me to wear 21 after Sean passed, and there was no way in hell I would put that pressure on myself or play with fans to believe that we have a chance of seeing 21 in this jersey again."
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