National Football League

Derrick Henry bids goodbye to Titans fans: 'Greatest eight years of my life'

Published Jan. 7, 2024 5:08 p.m. ET

It's not a certainty that Sunday marked running back Derrick Henry's last game in a Tennessee Titans uniform. But if it was, Henry went out on perhaps the best possible note.

With the Titans already well out of the playoffs, Henry ran for 153 yards and a touchdown on 19 attempts to power a 28-20 win over the Jaguars that knocked Jacksonville out of postseason contention and allowed the Bills and Steelers to clinch playoff spots, and the Texans to clinch the AFC South.

But the 30-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner who spent years as Tennessee's franchise player then endeared himself to Titans fans even more, taking the microphone after his team's victory and addressing the home crowd.

"Titans fans, I just want to say thank you for the greatest eight years of my life," Henry said. "The ups and the downs, y'all been there for everything — through the adversity, watching me grow as a person and a player, always supporting me. I love y'all. … Hopefully I was an inspiration to all the young kids and everybody in the community."

Henry then blew kisses to the crowd at Nissan Stadium while jogging off to "Hen-ry" chants from the crowd.

Henry's contract technically goes for two more years, but is not guaranteed past the 2023 season. He could find a role on a team somewhere as a short-yardage back, but as a running back now in his 30s, his prime is likely behind him.

But what a prime it was. Upon becoming Tennessee's featured running back in 2019, Henry led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing attempts that season and in 2020 as well, helping the Titans lead the playoffs both times. In January 2020, Henry helped Tennessee stun the reigning Super Bowl-champion Patriots and heavily favored Ravens in an unlikely run to the AFC Championship Game, where the Titans lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Chiefs.

The next year, Henry became the first NFL player since Adrian Peterson in 2012 to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. He would reach the Pro Bowl two more times, in 2022 and 2023, after injuries limited him in 2021.

In total, Henry rushed for 9,349 yards and accounted for 98 total touchdowns during his time in Tennessee.

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