There's one undeniable fact about Derrick Henry that is no longer arguable: he's one of the greatest players to ever play the game of football. From a record-breaking high school career, to winning the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship at Alabama to now running his way into NFL immortality, Henry has established himself as an all-time great.
Henry's career will end with his bust in Canton, but that's still a ways away. He's still got a whole lot of juice left in the tank.
On Saturday night against the Packers, with the Ravens facing a must-win game without Lamar Jackson, Henry put the team on his back. He rushed for 216 yards and four touchdowns on an NFL career-high 36 carries. This came a week after John Harbaugh left Henry on the sideline the entire fourth quarter as Baltimore blew a late lead and lost to the Patriots, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy. He rectified that mistake at Lambeau.
After his massive game against Green Bay, Henry is now just 31 yards shy of 1500 rushing yards for the season. It would be the fifth time in his career he has eclipsed 1500 rushing yards, tying Barry Sanders for the most such seasons in NFL history. Henry would be the first running back to ever have five seasons with 1500+ rushing yards and 10+ touchdowns.
And that only scratches the surface of the NFL history he's approaching.
Derrick Henry made a lot of NFL history in Baltimore's win over Green Bay
Henry's 216-yard rushing performance marked the seventh time in his career that he rushed for over 200 yards in a game. That's an NFL record.
He moved into 10th place on the NFL's all-time rushing list on Saturday night, surpassing Tony Dorsett. Another 1500-yard season in 2026 would catapult Henry all the way to No. 6. Emmitt Smith's rushing record might not be realistic, but if I've learned anything from watching Henry's entire football career, it's to doubt him at your own peril.
Henry's four rushing touchdowns against the Packers moved him to 4th-place all time on the NFL's rushing touchdowns list, surpassing Adrian Peterson with 122. He's now one behind Marcus Allen for 3rd place.
Passing Smith in touchdowns might be more realistic than rushing yards, but he's still 42 rushing touchdowns away from that record. He's 23 away from LaDanian Tomlinson in second place.
Henry's 216 yards at Lambeau Field are also the most ever by a visiting player against the Packers in the NFL's most historic venue.
Henry will turn 32 in a week. He's at the stage where most mortals would start to show signs of aging and slowing down. But Henry isn't mortal. And he doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. And the NFL record books are in danger of being rewritten as a result.