With His Practice Habits, Henry 'Sets the Tone'
NASHVILLE – It is fair to say that Derrick Henry gets better as the season goes. Just look at the numbers.
According to Tennessee Titans running backs coach Tony Dews, however, that annual ascension is a product of consistently excellent practice habits.
As the Titans move into the next phase of training camp Friday that approach will take on added importance, given that this year Henry is the reigning NFL rushing champion and one of the highest-paid players in the locker room. For the first time since the start of training camp, the full roster will work out together in a manner similar to the organized team activities (OTAs) that typically take place in April and May.
“When we do have the opportunity to go on the field and do drill work and things like that, he sets the tone,” Dews said Thursday. “I can’t think of one day that I’ve ever had to get on Derrick in the time that I’ve coached him, about his effort in practice.
“When he goes, he goes. And I think – more than talking about it or talking virtually – that really sets the tone for the entire group. When you see a guy that has some success – the success that he’s had – and then he goes out on the field and then works the way he works, that really sets the tone as much as anything else.”
Henry roared to the rushing title when he racked up an NFL-best 549 rushing yards in December, despite the fact that he played just four games. He sat out a Week 16 loss to New Orleans because the contest had no impact on Tennessee’s playoff chances.
Two other backs had more than 500 rushing yards during that month and two others topped 400 rushing yards. All of them played five games.
Henry’s 410 rushing yards in November also were the league-high and came in just three games because the Titans’ bye fell during that month. The next seven leading rushers for November all played at least four games.
Of Henry’s 10 career 100-yard rushing performances, eight happened in November and December.
“Just to get better every day,” he said recently. “Continue to get better. Continue to try to elevate my game each time I step on the field, in meetings. That will always be my focus.”
It is not just during the season either.
Anyone who follows Henry on social media knows that he doesn’t exactly take it easy during the offseason. With team facilities closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, players were left to their own devices throughout the spring and summer. Henry posted occasional videos that showed him lifting weights, running hills, and other things that a normal person – and even other elite athletes – could not complete.
“I love working out, love working in general,” he said. That’s just me being me.”
If Henry ever can start a season the way he finishes them – or even come close to it – there is no telling what kind of numbers he could post. Last November and December, he averaged 137 rushing yards per game. Do that for all 16 games of a regular season and he would finish with 2,192 rushing yards, which easily would break the NFL record of 2,105 Eric Dickerson set in 1984.
What is certain is that he is going to put in the work. If nothing else, that will ensure that he will be at his best for the end of the year, regardless of how he started.
“I think that’s really a key part of it – that he’s consistent all the time, in terms of his work ethic in practice,” Dews said. “He’s consistent in terms of his work ethic here in the meeting room. I think by him being consistent in those ways all year long that as time goes on – as the season goes on – he’s seeing things better, he’s understanding things better and … obviously, he’s done a good job running the ball.”
