Derrick Henry scoffs at notions about him wearing down; main focus is the Super Bowl

Baltimore Ravens’ running back Derrick Henry is no stranger to a heavy workload. He has been putting entire offenses on his back and propelling them to victory dating back to his days at Yulee High School in North Florida, where he was carrying the ball nearly 60 times a game.

Since becoming a full-time starter five years ago, the four-time Pro Bowler has led the league in rushing twice and ranks first in both rushing yards (7,209) and carries (1,529) as the bell cow for the Tennessee Titans.

Henry turned 30 years old this past January. History suggests that is typically the beginning of the end for most veteran running backs, where their ability to produce at a high level and be durable diminishes. However, the likely future Hall of Famer isn’t like most running backs or even humans, for that matter.

At every turn, Henry has defied historical trends, pushed past his limits and maintained an unprecedented level of dominance. He also has rarely missed time due to injury outside of 2021, when a broken foot knocked him out of commission for nine games. Even behind the worst offensive line of his career and arguably the entire league in 2023, he still managed to finish second in rushing yards (1,167) and first in carries (280).

When speaking to reporters at training camp on Monday, Henry expressed how good he feels heading into his ninth year in the league. He then proceeded to scoff at the notion of h wearing down and how 2024 might finally be the year his decline begins.

“I don’t really try to worry about that,” Henry said. “It’s kind of funny. Since high school, I probably got 56 carries in a game, 57 the next week. College [at Alabama] 44, 46. NFL, 30-35. I really think it’s just your mindset, how you take care of your body. If it works and you feel good, just keep working and doing what you do.”

Henry’s workout regimen during the offseason is legendary for how grueling and intense it is. His calorie intake is very disciplined as well. He does all the work necessary from February to August to prepare his body for what has been an incredibly heavy annual workload the past half-decade.

“I think I just control what I can control by what I do and how I work,” Henry said. “My approach to my job every day … I think that’s always going to be said when a running back gets up in age and that’s the stigma on the position. But I just focus on me being healthy, doing my job when I’m here and then let my play speak for my age and everything else.”

Now that he is in Baltimore, paired with the best quarterback he’s ever played with in Lamar Jackson, he is poised to have another highly productive season. This year could also prove to be one of the most efficient of his career given all the complementary talent around him and scheme under offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

As tantalizing as it is to project all the gaudy numbers he could put up in the Ravens’ offense, there is only one goal on the forefront of his mind.

“Super Bowl,” Henry said. “That’s the goal. Super Bowl. I mean, that’s always been the goal, but Super Bowl is definitely where I’m at now, so yes. I’ve had chances and got close, but that’s what it is right now.”

The closest Henry has gotten to reaching the Super Bowl was in the 2019 postseason. Him and the Titans came to Baltimore and pulled off a shocking upset of the top-seeded Ravens to advance to the AFC championship game. Tennessee ultimately fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, who went on to win their franchise’s first Super Bowl title in 59 years.

His new team knows the feeling of having their championship aspirations dashed by this generation’s dynasty all too well. They are just six months removed from losing to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. For him and the Ravens to reach their ultimate goal, their paths will likely cross with Kansas City more than once. The two teams are set to open the year in Week 1 on September 5.