Derrick Henry: The “King” in Pursuit of NFL History
From childhood, Derrick Henry, the star of the Baltimore Ravens, admired LaDainian Tomlinson. Now, Henry is on his way to joining his idol in an exclusive NFL club.
With 11,423 rushing yards, Henry leads active running backs in the league. He needs 1,317 more yards to enter the top 10 in NFL history, surpassing legends like Thurman Thomas, Franco Harris, and Jim Brown.Legend: Historical leaders in yards per carry.
“It would be a surreal moment to have my name mentioned with those legends”, said Henry.
Derrick Henry
Henry’s impact goes beyond the yards. His teammates highlight his work ethic and intensity. Running back Justice Hill describes him as a future Hall of Famer.
In his first season with the Ravens, alongside Lamar Jackson, Henry averaged 113 yards per game, his second-best average in nine years. At that pace, he could enter the top 10 running backs in the league in the Thanksgiving game against the Bengals.Caption: Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry celebrates one of his 16 rushing touchdowns last season.Upon arriving in Baltimore with a two-year, $16 million contract, Henry had a standout season, accumulating 1,921 rushing yards and setting a personal record of 5.9 yards per carry. Furthermore, his 16 rushing touchdowns tied for the league lead and set a record for the Ravens.Legend: Illustration by ESPNHenry is also climbing quickly on the list of rushing touchdowns. His 106 career rushing touchdowns tie him with Jim Brown for sixth all-time in the NFL.
Regarding the red zone, Henry has scored 86 touchdowns inside the 20-yard line, the third-most since 2000. His combination of size, explosiveness, and competitiveness makes him a constant threat.
If Henry maintains his touchdown pace, he will surpass Walter Payton and approach Adrian Peterson.
DeAndre Hopkins, Henry’s teammate, believes he is on the right track and focused on winning games for the Ravens.
At 31 years old, Henry is 6,933 yards away from Emmitt Smith, the historical leader in rushing yards. Although it would take him almost six seasons to reach him, Jackson’s presence could accelerate his progress.
Henry has shown no signs of slowing down. Last season, he ran for the most yards by a 30-year-old or older player.
Patrick Ricard, Ravens fullback, believes Henry can play “forever”.
When asked how long he plans to play, Henry replies: “When I feel it’s time, I’ll quit.”
