Derrick Henry's Intro Suit a Tribute to the Ravens and More
As the signer of a new contract with the Baltimore Ravens, Derrick Henry's getting $16 million to play good football and look good doing it.
The running back fulfilled the first requirement upon his introduction as a member of the Ravens on Thursday, donning a stylish purple suit to match his newfound aesthetic. His new uniform will feature a similar tint, a stark contrast from the gray and powder blue duds he donned as a member of the Tennessee Titans.
As it turns out, Henry's attire was not only a tribute to his future but his past as well: Henry remarked that Thursday was the first time he wore the suit since the funeral of his beloved grandmother Gladys in 2016.
"She died in 2016, and purple is her favorite color," Henry explained, per Ryan Mink of the Ravens' official site. "We're actually moving these next [few] weeks, so I was scrambling through boxes, pulling everything out, trying to find this suit and be able to put it together."
"I definitely wanted to wear this color to honor her and show all the fans around Flock Nation that I'm ready, and I'm on board."
Gladys played a major role in Henry's life, helping to raise him when his mother Stacy gave birth to him as a teenager. Henry paid poignant tribute to Gladys upon her passing with a heartfelt letter published in The Players' Tribune entitled "I Did It, Grandma." Gladys offered Henry the nickname "Shocka" based on his unexpected birth.
"You did everything for me, Grandma. You sang to me. You sat with me on Saturday mornings and watched cartoons — Arthur, Clifford the Big Red Dog … whatever we could get, because you know we didn’t have cable," Henry recalled. "You’d cook me food. Watch me while I was outside riding my bike."
"You and me, we were just … attached, you know? You were my best friend."
Call it destiny, call it a sound football or financial decision. But Henry is now repping one of the most recognizable purple entities in the history of the hue, his grandmother's favorite, which should only add another layer of inspiration and purpose in a vital campaign.
