Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry typically gets the respect he deserves as one of the best running backs in the NFL, but Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is showing The King a different level of respect.
On his “It Needed to be Said” podcast that he hosts with Julius Collins, Hill asked guest and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson to list his top-five running backs in NFL history.
While Robinson didn’t have Henry in his, Hill did list the Alabama product in his top five at No. 2. Here’s both players’ lists:
Tyreek Hill:
- Adrian Peterson
- Derrick Henry
- Barry Sanders
- Gale Sayers
- Eric Dickerson
Bijan Robinson:
- Barry Sanders
- LaDainian Tomlinson
- Marshall Faulk
- Adrian Peterson
- Walter Payton
“Have you ever seen Derrick Henry before? It’s like 11 dudes in the box, it’s like punt pro whenever they try to stop him,” Hill said.
Robinson responded to that by saying his new head coach and former Titans offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, “set him up to do that, to be great,” which is partly true but I think Henry helped Smith more than vice versa.
Since the tail end of 2018, Henry has become arguably the most dominant running back in the NFL, with three 1,500-yard seasons under his belt, including a historic 2,000-yard campaign.
The only thing that has been able to slow Henry down has been injury (he missed half the season in 2021), otherwise he would’ve had another 1,500-yard campaign, and quite possibly another 2,000-yard campaign.
When all the smoke clears on Henry’s career, which is still going strong after another impressive season in 2022, I think this run of the last four-plus years (and maybe longer) will be looked back on as one of the great ones in NFL history for a running back.
Thus, his inclusion on Hill’s list isn’t as crazy as some non-Titans fans might think.
