The Ravens’ star running back has a chance to make history this season.
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has a shot to make NFL history this season.
Through seven games, Henry has rushed for a league-high 873 yards and eight touchdowns—an average of 124.7 rushing yards per contest. He has registered at least 132 rushing yards in four of the last five weeks, including a 169-yard performance in the Ravens’ 41–31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday.
The red-hot Henry has put himself in a position where he could make a run at the NFL’s all-time single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is confident that Henry can make history.
“Yeah, I feel like he has a great chance of achieving that,” Jackson said in a press conference on Wednesday. “I believe he can do it.”
Henry does have the luxury of having one extra game to work with as he chases Eric Dickerson, who rushed for the record 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. Dickerson did it in 16 games; Henry will play in 17 if he stays healthy.
To break the record, Henry would have to average 123.2 yards per game over his final 10 contests of the season—and if he wants to surpass the record in 16 games, he needs to average 136.9 rushing yards over his next nine outings.
Henry came up just short of the record in 2020 when he rushed for 2,027 yards in 16 games for the Tennessee Titans, an effort that stands fifth-best in league annals.
All-time NFL single-season rushing leaders
|
PLAYER (TEAM) |
YARDS |
YEAR |
|---|---|---|
|
Eric Dickerson (Rams) |
2,105 |
1984 |
|
Adrian Peterson (Vikings) |
2,097 |
2012 |
|
Jamal Lewis (Ravens) |
2,066 |
2003 |
|
Barry Sanders (Lions) |
2,053 |
1997 |
|
Derrick Henry (Titans) |
2,027 |
2020 |
|
Terrell Davis (Broncos) |
2,008 |
1998 |
|
Chris Johnson (Titans) |
2,006 |
2009 |
|
O.J. Simpson (Bills) |
2,003 |
1973 |
Henry’s next chance at padding his rushing stats arrives on Sunday in an AFC North clash against the Cleveland Browns, who rank 15th in the NFL against the run.