Over the years, LeBron James has been increasingly open about his football fandom, often times tweeting about his favorite teams or remarkable individual performances. Though the Lakers star has shown that his appreciation for the sport and its players is widespread, he admitted that he does have a favorite star: Titans running back Derrick Henry.
During an alternate Thursday Night Football broadcast on Amazon with other members of his show, The Shop, James lauded Henry’s ability. He explained that the primary reason he has such an affinity for Henry is because of the ballcarrier’s size and strength.
“My favorite player in the NFL, man,” James said, referring to the Titans ballcarrier. “What makes him my favorite player? I mean, for years, they always used to say that running backs that size or that tall couldn’t survive, and obviously Eric Dickerson kind of changed that too. But then came King Henry changed that in a whole other fashion. Not only is he as tall as Eric Dickerson, but he’s also built like a linebacker. He can run between the tackles, outside of tackles, and when he gets on the edge, it’s either gonna be a stiff arm or he gonna run around you.”
Henry provided another stellar performance to add yet another reason for James to speak so highly of him. The 2020 NFL Offensive Player of the Year bashed the Packers defense for 87 yards and touchdown on 28 carries. He also threw a spectacular jump pass for a touchdown in Tennessee’s 27–17 win over Green Bay.
James has made some bold proclamations in the past about his NFL leanings, which included once saying that his favorite player was Carson Wentz. At the time in 2017, the star forward was on the Cavaliers and a publicly-stated Cowboys fan, so clearly things have changed over the years. Earlier this year, he confirmed that he no longer roots for the Cowboys after how the team handled players kneeling during the national anthem, switching his allegiance to the Browns.
Now, King James is throwing his support behind King Henry, at least for the time being.
