People could hail Derrick Henry as the modern-day Earl Campbell, and no one would be upset.
He has become the best in the game at his position since entering the NFL in 2016.
Henry is not only the heartbeat of the Tennessee Titans, but he has earned the respect of every defense. He endured some frustrations in his first two seasons; however, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner has been a superstar since 2018. After becoming a legend at the University of Alabama, the native Floridian is quickly climbing up the annals of Titans/Houston Oilers history.
He is fourth all-time for rushing yards (6,643) and second in touchdowns (65). Henry is nearing his fourth straight 1,000-yard rushing campaign since 2018. The 6-foot-3, 247-pounder recorded his fifth 100-yard performance this season on Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills. He got the Titans rolling in the second quarter with a 76-yard touchdown run. Despite his size, Henry reached a top speed of 21.80 miles per hour.
Per Next Gen Stats, it was the fastest speed reached by a ball carrier this year.
He posted three rushing scores for the third time. Henry had 143 yards rushing on 20 carries, totaling a season-high of 7.2 yards per rush in the Titans’ 34-31 victory. He leads the NFL for carries (162), yards (783), and touchdowns (10) after six games.
Henry’s 76-yard touchdown run was the 11th time in his career he scored on a play of 50+ yards, tying former Titans’ running back Chris Johnson for fourth-most in NFL history.
Legendary names such as Adrian Peterson (16), Barry Sanders (12), and Jim Brown (12) have more 50+ yard touchdowns than Henry.
At 4-2, Henry has the Titans as the lone winning team in the AFC South. He is a two-time rushing champion and is on his way to a third straight NFL rushing title.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
