The Connection That Fuels Henry, Jackson

Running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson both make football look easy. As such, they will be ones to watch Sunday when the Tennessee Titans host the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL wild card playoff game at Nissan Stadium.

Henry believes it could be related to their common background.

“He’s a Florida boy,” the two-time NFL rushing champion said of the Baltimore Ravens quarterback. “… I think it’s the water that we drink coming up as kids.”

According to figures from the NFL released at the start of the 2020 regular season, more players on NFL rosters had come from Florida (194 of them) than any other state.

Henry and Jackson were born on the opposite ends of the peninsula. Henry is from Yulee, in the northeast corner of Florida, near Jacksonville. Jackson came out of Boynton Beach, in the southeast, near Fort Lauderdale.

Both left the state and became Heisman Trophy winners, Henry at Alabama in 2015 and Jackson at Louisville in 2016. Each also has made his mark in the NFL. Jackson was the league’s most valuable player in 2019, and this season Henry became the eighth player ever to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

“To me, I think he is a generational player as well,” Henry said. “He is so hard to defend. Reigning MVP. And his résumé speaks for itself.”

Henry was the central figure in the Titans’ run to their first division title since 2008 and emerged in the minds of many as an MVP candidate.

Meanwhile, Jackson led the Ravens to their third straight playoff berth after they started 6-5. Across the final five games – all Baltimore victories – Jackson regained his MVP form, particularly when he rallied his team to a 47-42 victory over the Cleveland Browns in a Monday Night Football game that had heavy playoff implications for both teams. He finished with 163 passing yards and 124 rushing yards, with three total touchdowns.

“He’s so hard to defend because he is so dangerous with his legs, and he can throw it,” Henry said. “He’s a dynamic player and he’s been great for those guys (Baltimore).”

Jackson is the first NFL quarterback to record multiple 1,000-yard rushing yard seasons. The only other to record one 1,000-rushing yard season was Michael Vick in 2006. And part of Jackson reaching the milestone was out of necessity, during the Ravens must-win December.

“Us Florida boys we pride ourselves on our speed and being fast. I think we all take pride in that,” Henry said.

The two have gotten closer in recent years due to the Pro Bowl, Heisman House commercials and other interactions.

“He’s a funny dude,” Henry said. “I got to hang out with him quite a bit during the Pro Bowl and during the offseason as well.”

Still, their professional aspirations occasionally put them at odds.

As a rookie in 2018, Jackson carried one time for 22 yards in a brief appearance during a 21-0 Ravens triumph at Nissan Stadium. Since then, Henry has gotten the better of things with 195 yards on 30 carries in Tennessee’s 28-12 victory in last season’s playoffs (he also threw a touchdown pass in that one) and 133 yards plus a touchdown on 28 rushes during a 30-24 Titans overtime triumph in Week 11 this season.

Only one will play on after this weekend.

“It’s a different environment,” Henry said of the playoffs. “We know what’s at stake. It’s win or go home. The playoff atmosphere is different.”