Back-to-back rushing titles and vying for a third, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry faced real adversity for the first time in the National Football League this past season.
The Titans superstar was off to a historic pace, accumulating 937 rushing and 10 touchdowns on 219 carries through the first eight weeks. Not only was he on pace for 2,000 yards again, but to also break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record.
Then came the news that Henry would require foot surgery, forcing him to miss the remainder of the regular season. Such a long injury stint is not something Henry is used to.
“This year was the first time in my career where I had significant injury and missed time during the season; that’s never happened before,” Henry said earlier this week.
With the identity of their offense sidelined, the Titans scrambled to piece together a running-back-by-committee, which included Adrian Peterson for a three-game stint.
D’Onta Foreman did an admirable job filling in for Henry, getting the bulk of the carries down the home stretch, but he doesn’t strike the same fear into opposing defenses like Henry.
While the Titans still secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC, they did lose to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round with Henry in the lineup. Henry says the defeat will fuel him for next season.
“What matters is being here and playing (in the postseason), which we came up short,” Henry said. “So just being fueled from that, continue to work like I always done, and just have vengeance on my mind of coming into next season ready to attack and have a great year.”
Tennessee has now made the playoffs in three straight seasons, including an AFC Championship Game appearance in 2019, but Henry has much bigger goals than simply reaching the playoffs every year — he wants to win it all.
“That’s always the goal, that’s always the main focus, but it starts when when you’re working and you’re away from the (team) facility and when you get together, putting that work in as a team,” he concluded.
Derrick Henry will have "vengeance on my mind" preparing for next season. @KingHenry_2@NFLTotalAccess with @OmarDRuiz pic.twitter.com/AvVz73jDmV
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) February 12, 2022
