Derrick Henry joined the Baltimore Ravens at age 30 and had one of the best seasons of his career while teaming up with Lamar Jackson.
So why leave a good thing?
Henry has chosen to stick around, agreeing to a two-year, \$30 million extension last week, which includes \$25 million guaranteed. Though he was already signed for the upcoming season, this deal keeps him with the Ravens through 2026.
After rushing for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024 — averaging a career-best 5.9 yards per carry — it was clear Henry didn’t want to change a situation that worked.
“I really enjoyed last season a lot,” Henry said. “Being able to play alongside a player like Lamar, the best player in the league, it was just dynamic and a lot of fun. There’s a lot of young guys on the offense and on this team, so I feel like they give me youth and give me a lot of energy.”
Henry currently ranks 19th on the all-time rushing list with 11,423 yards. Another strong season could move him into the top nine. Baltimore has been a strong place for running backs, especially with a healthy Jackson at quarterback.
The Ravens led the league in rushing over the past two seasons and have been in the top three since Jackson became the starter in 2018. While Jackson racks up rushing yards himself, his play helps create more chances for backs like Henry. In 2023, Henry ran for 1,167 yards at 4.2 yards per carry with Tennessee, but he looked refreshed in Baltimore.
Derrick Henry speaks to the reporters“I’m just very grateful for this organization,” Henry said. “Just like last year, coming off the season I had, I wasn’t really happy, and I wanted to prove myself and just get an opportunity, and they gave me the opportunity. I’m very appreciative of how much they value me, to give me an extension, and I just want to show them how much it means to me, how much this organization means to me by the way I work and what I do on the field.”
Baltimore’s support for the run game is clear. In 2023, Gus Edwards had a career-high 810 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns with the Ravens. But with the Chargers the following year, he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry.
The Ravens have shown they don’t see every running back as the same — something reflected in their commitment to Henry.
“I think he fits Baltimore as a city and what the city stands for,” said running backs coach Willie Taggart. “When you always watched the Ravens play, it was always dominating and physical, and when you watch Derrick run, it’s dominating and physical. You think about our city. We’re dominating and physical, so I think he just fit everything about Baltimore and the Ravens’ organization.”
Henry quickly put concerns about his age to rest with his strong performance last season, and Baltimore believes he can keep doing that.
“If you look at the performance he had last year — one of his better years — and that’s nine years in. That’s big time, but Derrick works hard. It’s important to him,” Taggart said. “He wants to win a Super Bowl, and I know he’s going to do everything he can to help this football team accomplish that.”
