Henry: Second Straight Rushing Title Secondary to Rival's Sadness

The Tennessee Titans running back said he reached out to Minnesota's Dalvin Cook, who won't play this week following the death of his father.

Derrick Henry has reached a milestone that has been a storyline since the start of the season.

The Tennessee Titans running back has taken the league’s rushing title for a second consecutive season -- a rare accomplishment.

While the king will keep his crown, the exciting race Henry ran away with in recent weeks came to an unfortunate end with devastating news on Wednesday. Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, who trails Henry by 220 yards, will not play in Week 17. His father, James Cook, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away Tuesday. He was 46 years old.

“Me and Dalvin talk a lot throughout the season,” Henry said. “We are always encouraging each other, telling each other good game. I reached out to him and told him I was praying for his family and sent my condolences.

“It’s bigger than football. It’s his dad. Very sad and I feel for him and his family.”

With one game remaining, Henry, who recently earned his second career Pro Bowl selection, has a career-high 1,777 rushing yards on the season. Cook, who also earned a second career Pro Bowl nod a few weeks ago, will end the season with a career-best 1,557 rushing yards.

Not too long ago, the race for the rushing title was a two-horse, neck-and-neck race. In November, at one of the race's closest points, Henry tabbed Cook as the “best back in football.”

In his last seven games, Henry has stormed away with it, rushing for 100 yards or more four times and more than 200 yards once. While Cook has rushed for 100 yards or more in four of his last six games, that was quite not enough to keep up with Henry’s torrid pace.

Henry will become the 10th player to win the rushing title in back-to-back seasons since 1953. All nine of the previous running backs to do it have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, a place the 26-year-old Henry appears to be destined for when his career comes to a close.

But his thoughts right now will be with a friend and fellow competitor who lost an important piece of his life far too soon.

“The rushing title, you know, that’s an accomplishment for the offensive line and everybody that’s blocking for you,” Henry said. “Like I said, prayers up to Dalvin Cook and his family.”