Entering Saturday’s playoff battle between the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens, the expectation was that Derrick Henry would be the focal point. This was proven true as he rumbled to 195 yards on 30 carries, making NFL history with three straight 180-yard performances. He also threw a touchdown pass on a trick play.
With Henry serving as the top option, the Titans jumped out to an early lead and secured a spot in the AFC Championship with a 28-12 victory. In response, the fans of the Nashville-based franchise headed to social media to praise the young running back.
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Saturday night and into Sunday morning, the fans were fired up and showing their love for Henry on social media. They wanted to make it very clear that he was the primary reason for this season’s success, and they did so with a variety of methods.
Some of the Titans fans posted memes while others simply talked about how Henry is the best running back in the entire NFL. Regardless of method, the purpose of the messages was clear. They wanted to thank Henry for his primetime performance.
Photo Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images
No More LeBron
Move over Lebron, thereโs a new King!
โ Scott Burton (@MPPScott) January 12, 2020
Throughout his NBA career with the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James has been known as “King James.” He has won three championship rings and was named the Finals MVP in 2016. This was a primary reason for the nickname.
Now, however, the fans of the Titans believe that James needs to relinquish his crown. The Lakers are leading the Western Conference with a 32-7 record, but they think that this is less impressive than Henry’s most recent games.
Earl Thomas Memes
โ Austin (@nitsuas) January 12, 2020
The Baltimore Ravens entered Saturday’s playoff game full of confidence. The offense appeared unstoppable while the defense was known for hard hits and big plays. Safety Earl Thomas even made headlines by saying that the Patriots didn’t want to tackle Henry, but that wouldn’t be the case with the Ravens.
As it turns out, Thomas drew attention after receiving two stiff arms from Henry. He was unable to slow down the big running back and was instead pushed aside. The fans loved this and referred to Thomas as a clown due to his previous comments.
Use the talent
Someone inside the Titans finally realized what they had. Henry is amazing and then they put Tannyhill in. Go Titans and RTR.
โ BamaMark221 (@BMark221) January 12, 2020
Over the course of Henry’s first four seasons, he has seen an increasing number of snaps. He barely topped 100 as a rookie and has steadily seen more and more with each passing season. This led to early frustration among Titans fans considering that King Henry was rarely being used early.
His past two seasons have been quite different, however, as the Titans seemed to understand what they had in the running back. Once Mike Vrabel took over as head coach, he made Henry the starter and was rewarded with two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
Universally Adored
Iโm a bears fan and I just want to say that I loved seeing the titans crush the patriots and the ravens. I hope you guys make it to the super bowl, best wishes in the AFC championship next week!
โ Diego Mendoza (@greenninja2987) January 12, 2020
Henry is a unique running back in that he has become universally-loved among NFL fanbases. The Titans don’t have the most supporters among the 32 organizations, but their running back has created a significant number of supporters. It also helps that he helped send the Patriots home early.
Following the victory over the 14-2 Ravens, Henry was greeted by fans of other teams expressing their adoration for his hard-running ability. They loved that he had been responsible for both the Patriots and Ravens losing and wanted to see how he would perform in the AFC Championship.
Riding High
Honestly got like 4 hours of sleep my body is still shaking lol #TitanUp
โ Zach Widmyer (@KingZach25) January 12, 2020
While fans of the Baltimore Ravens went to bed in a sour mood, those that root for the Tennessee Titans were in a much different mood. They were out celebrating the shocking upset and couldn’t believe that Henry had helped lead his team back to the AFC Championship for the first time since 2002.
The result of this excitement, as it turns out, was a lack of sleep. The fans of the Titans struggled to calm down after the game due to the sheer excitement of the victory. Having Henry make NFL history just added to the moment.
A gracious King
Our King is a man of the people
โ Mark Noel (@dadnoel85) January 12, 2020
The Titans running back may be known as King Henry, but that doesn’t mean that he is spending time in an ivory tower looking down on his subjects. No, Henry is someone that loves spending time with the fanbase, especially after big victories. He showed his appreciation for those that made the trip to Baltimore by running to the stands to celebrate.
As many pointed out on social media, Henry is a king that has no issues hanging out with the fans. They appreciate this and feel that it only makes him a better person and player. Although this did bring about other concerns given that Henry needs a new contract following the season.
Who is MVP?
What an MVP performance by the big lad!๐๐พโ ๐ฟ๐ผ
โ Gerald Maguranyanga SPORTING AGENT (@maguranyanga) January 12, 2020
Entering the playoffs, the expectation was that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson would be named League MVP during NFL Honors. This sentiment has not necessarily changed after the second-year quarterback led his team to a playoff record 508 yards in the loss, but there are some that want to look in a different direction.
Following the victory, the Titans fans expressed the opinion that Henry should be named MVP instead of Jackson. His hard-running led to the playoff berth and helped send the Patriots and Ravens home early. He also led the league with more than 1,500 rushing yards.