Of the eight NFL running backs that rushed for at least 2,000 yards in one season, four are already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, and Terrell Davis already have their busts in Canton.
Adrian Peterson can be the fifth once his Hall of Fame eligibility arrives.
Meanwhile, Derrick Henry is already making a case to be the sixth early in his career.
Five years into his career and the former Alabama standout continues to rack up individual awards.
Games with 160 Rush Yards and 3 TD, among RB on active rosters:
Derrick Henry 4
Rest of NFL combined 3 pic.twitter.com/hT9izKaoAW— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 19, 2021
Aside from leading the league in rushing yards last year, Henry also had the most rushing touchdowns with 17.
He’s also a two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro in 2019.
Henry is also the reigning Offensive Player of the Year and included in the first-team All-Pro.
But as great as he is, Henry does have some down games as well.
Derrick Henry only needs 12,438 against the Seattle Seahawks today to eclipse Emmitt Smith’s current All-Time Rushing Record. #Titans pic.twitter.com/AoEvUHlU1r
— Jake Robertson (@GloryDaySports) September 19, 2021
He only had 40 yards in their Wild Card game against the Baltimore Ravens, which the Tennessee Titans lost, 20-13.
Fast forward a year later, and Henry had another dismal performance.
The Florida native finished with just 58 yards on 17 carries against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals defense had him in check, and Chandler Jones sacked Ryan Tannehill five times.
Chandler Jones is unstoppable.
5 SACKS IN 3 QUARTERS 😳 pic.twitter.com/i674QFCTcx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 12, 2021
That game maintains the trend of the Titans struggling or losing if Henry had a subpar game.
He had less than 100 yards in four of their six losses last year.
Therefore, unleashing the beast is the Titans’ best hope of winning.
Boy, Henry had one heck of a bounce-back game.
All Hail King Henry
It didn’t look good for Henry and the Titans as there were down 24-9 to the Seattle Seahawks.
But Mike Vrabel’s unit kept on fighting to avoid an 0-2 hole.
Henry scored a nine-yard touchdown run to trim Seattle’s advantage to eight, 24-16.
However, Russell Wilson connected on a 68-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Swain to bring their lead to six, 30-16.
King Henry lorded over from that point and scored on a 60-yard dash to bring Tennessee to within seven.
Derrick Henry can turn on the jets too 🤯
pic.twitter.com/Mj0fbFFy6F— PFF (@PFF) September 19, 2021
Henry appeared to have scored the game-tying touchdown from Seattle’s five-yard line with less than a minute left in the game.
However, the officials ruled him down at the one-yard line.
He didn’t leave any doubt that he scored a touchdown on the next play to level the count at 30 and send the game to overtime.
DERRICK HENRY AGAIN. THIRD TD TODAY 😤
We got a game.
(via @NFLBrasil) pic.twitter.com/B0a33ibgG7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 19, 2021
Both teams punted on their first overtime drive, making the game a sudden-death affair.
But Henry wouldn’t let his team lose this time.
During the final drive, he had four consecutive run plays to set up Randy Bullock’s 36-yard game-winning field goal.
His heroics improved Tennessee’s record to 1-1, giving them a share of the AFC South lead with the Houston Texans.
Henry finished with 35 carries for 182 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
He also added six receptions for 55 yards.
This intense battle with Seattle is Henry’s 10th career game with at least 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Henry’s epic performance catapulted him to the top of the rushing yards list of the 2021 season with 240.
Most rushing yards this season
👑 Derrick Henry – 240
👑 Derrick Henry after contact – 201
🔸 Joe Mixon – 196
🔸 Lamar Jackson – 193 pic.twitter.com/kgXTKMk6GB— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) September 20, 2021
He and Nick Chubb are the only backs with three rushing touchdowns so far.
King Henry would like to reign supreme once again when the Titans face division rival Indianapolis Colts in Week 3.
NEXT: Titans In Focus As A Team That Must Rebound In Week 2
