Major Update on Derrick Henry's Health Status Ahead of Titans' Playoff Game
The Tennessee Titans will get a major boost when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals in their divisional-round playoff game Saturday. According to ESPN, the Titans will activate running back Derrick Henry who is expected to start when the team takes the field. Henry has missed over two months of action due to a fractured foot suffered in the Titans' 34-31 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Henry practiced all this week and didn't have any setbacks. "It has been a while since he has had contact," Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. "We are going to have to do these things that will come close to replicating what is going to be asked of him in a football game."
On Wednesday, Henry talked to reporters for the first time since suffering the injury. "I'm happy to be back," Henry said, per the team's official website. "You definitely appreciate this game a lot more when you are away from it, being away from teammates and just having that camaraderie and going to work every day and playing on Sundays each and every week. I definitely missed that. I'm just happy to be back and I'm appreciative of everybody that helped me get to be able to be back and contribute during the playoffs. I am just happy to be back playing football."
Henry missed the Titans' final nine games of the regular season. Despite not having Henry on the field, the Titans went 6-3 in those nine games to finish the year 12-5 and first place in the AFC. But what makes Henry great is he played in only eight games in 2021 and still led the team in rushing with 937 yards and 10 touchdowns. And when it comes to league leaders, Henry finished ninth in the NFL in rushing yards and tied for sixth in rushing scores.
"Titans fans wrote 'Get Well' letters, and I definitely appreciated that," Henry said. "Just having faith in the man above, and just continuing to rebab and continuing to get healthy and being able to have the opportunity right here." Henry has emerged as one of the best running backs in the NFL. In 2020, Henry won the Offensive Player of the Year award after rushing for 2,057 yards and 17 touchdowns.