Derrick Henry is hoping to buck a trend with the Baltimore Ravens this season.
Henry is a new face in Baltimore having signed a two-year, $16million deal in free agency and is hoping to regain his spark after a disappointing final season with the Tennessee Titans.
He is renown as a workhorse having led the NFL in carries four times but managed just 68.6 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry last season, both personal lows since 2018.
Henry also turned 30 years of age in January. Only three players have produced over 1,000 rushing yards at 30 or more – Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore and Raheem Mostert.
“That’s always going to be said when a running back gets up in age, the stigma on the position,” Henry said. “But I just focus on me being healthy, doing my job when I’m here and then let my play speak for my age.”
“Derrick Henry doesn’t feel worn down. Instead, he’s raring to go.”
He talks his workload and expectations for the season:https://t.co/0nvdo5QIBt
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 22, 2024
Henry is confident he will be able to play as many snaps as required in what could be a run-heavy offense led by dual threat quarterback Lamar Jackson.
He added: “It’s a new start but I’m excited about the opportunity.
“It’s a different era for me, so I’m just embracing it every day and putting the work in.
“It’s kind of funny. Ever since high school sometimes I got 56 [carries] in the game, 57 the next week. In college, it was 44, 46. In the NFL, it was 30, 35.
“I really think it’s just your mindset, how you take care of your body and not get too caught on ‘he say, she say.’ If it works and you feel good, just keep working and keep doing what you do.”
Henry has lofty ambitions for this season.
“Super Bowl, that’s the goal,” he said. “I’ve had chances and got close, but the main goal for me is to get to the Super Bowl.”
