After suffering a serious foot injury in 2021 that knocked him out of half the regular season, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has his fair share of doubters going into 2022.
Henry was easily the most dominant running back in the NFL dating back to his late-season surge in 2018 through the first half of 2021 when he compiled 937 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games.
However, thanks to his aforementioned foot injury, there are questions about his future viability, and many out there no longer believe he’s the best running back in the NFL.
By the way, you won’t find that sentiment on this site. We fully expect The King to reign once again in 2022.
Henry says motivation comes easy for him, but he certainly hasn’t ignored what’s being said about him ahead of his seventh season.
“I get motivated by anything,” Henry said, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “Someone could motivate me and wouldn’t even know it… The doubters, whatever they want to be, I am definitely motivated and ready to go. We’re going to see.”
Henry was not present for voluntary OTAs, but did make his offseason practice debut on Tuesday at Day 1 of mandatory minicamp, while also sporting a new hairstyle.
.@KingHenry_2 at Tuesday’s @Titans minicamp. pic.twitter.com/cytMnLAKdu
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) June 14, 2022
#Titans Derrick Henry on the new hairdo: “I might switch it up this year, stay tuned. I’ve had it in (whatever anyone wants to call it) I just thought I’d switch it up!”
— Kayla Anderson (@KaylaAndersonTV) June 14, 2022
Of course, Henry, who says he feels good, was still hard at work while away from the team, with his routine consisting of two workouts per day and an off day on Sunday. He was also down on how he played upon returning from injury last season.
“I had time away [this offseason],” Henry said, via Terry McCormick of Titans Insider. “I’ve been training like crazy and doing everything I can to keep my body right I’ve just been working, and through that time [while injured] I was off for like nine or 10 weeks, and then coming back. I felt good, but I didn’t play well enough. There’s no excuse. I’ve got to be better, and I should have been better. But I feel good now.”
#Titans Derrick Henry on his workouts says he does take a Sunday off but he’s works out twice a day: pic.twitter.com/BNf1V8z5kM
— Teresa Walker (@TeresaMWalker) June 14, 2022
Despite Henry, 28, inching towards the dreaded age of 30 when many running backs begin to break down, a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed that the Titans might be interested in extending his contract.
To nobody’s surprise, Henry is open to the idea.
“It’s always good to get a promotion at your job,” he said, per Teresa Walker of the Associated Press. “I’m just trying to work through that. I’m currently still under contract. If that’s what the future holds, that’d be great.”
