Ravens' Derrick Henry Welcomes Lamar Jackson's Nickname

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has one of the most iconic nicknames in the modern NFL, "King Henry." Lately, though, he's resonated more with a different kind of royalty.
After Saturday's playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which Henry ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson compared the star running back Lightning McQueen from the "Cars" movie series, creating a hilarious viral moment that won't soon be forgotten.
"It looks like a movie clip," Jackson told reporters. "... You know when Lightning McQueen is just flying and flashing past, and it's like '(whooshing sound).' That's how Derrick looked when he was running past all those guys."
Lamar: confirmed Cars fan 😭🏎️@Ravens @Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/kHRxfirBw2
— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2025
It didn't take long for Henry to embrace that nickname. When asked about Jackson's comments on Thursday, the All-Pro had some fun of his own.
"I don't want to be called anything else but McQueen," Henry told reporters. "Don't call me Derrick, just call me McQueen. No, I'm kidding. It was funny. I didn't think that would be the comparison, but 'L' is 'L.' I told him he needs to be a comedian when he's done playing, but I definitely got a kick and a laugh out of that.
"I just made sure. I said, 'Were you serious in that?' [Lamar Jackson] was like, 'I was dead serious.' I was like, 'OK then. McQueen it is then.' It was funny. I don't know who he was talking to saying he might be too old to watch the movie, but I'm sure everybody knows about the 'Ka-chow' because everybody has seen Lightning McQueen."
That begs the question: if Henry is McQueen, then what car would Jackson be? According to him, he's content to just watch the race unfold.
"I didn't say [Derrick Henry] was Lightning McQueen. I said it's like watching Lightning McQueen just flashing past. I'm no car. I'm just chilling. I'm just watching the show."