In the world of American football, Derrick Henry is a force to be reckoned with. At 30 years old, he has already achieved more in his NFL career than most players could ever dream of. But for those who believe he is resting on his laurels, they clearly don’t know Derrick Henry.
After spending eight seasons with the Titans, Henry made the move to the Ravens this year. And in his first training camp in Baltimore, he is making waves with his unmatched work ethic. Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart was impressed by Henry’s dedication after witnessing a play where he was visibly upset with himself for not catching a pass intended for him.
“It’s like the damnedest thing ever. He wants to be perfect on everything. We love it,” Taggart praised. “He’ll eventually come around, but probably the first two plays after a mistake, he’s going to be ticked off.”
Henry’s personal trainer, Melvin Sanders, who has worked with numerous professional athletes, attests to the fact that Henry’s work ethic surpasses them all.
“He’s the most consistent. He just doesn’t skip,” Sanders remarked. “It’s relentless pursuit of perfection. He just wants to be great. He wants to be the best.”
While running backs typically see a decline by age 30, Sanders believes Henry is in the best physical shape of his life.
“I think he’s better right now than he was in year four and five,” Sanders stated. “He’s a lot stronger now. He’s a lot more mobile. He’s able to move better. His lateral quickness is better. He’s just a stronger athlete now.”
Despite recording a career-low 4.17 yards per carry last season, indicating possible wear and tear, Henry is determined to put in maximum effort to return to the peak of his career. The Ravens are counting on him to be the player they know he can be.