CINCINNATI -- Derrick Henry has added another accomplishment to his impressive list of bona fides. The Baltimore Ravens running back scored his 100th career touchdown during the opening drive of Sunday's Week 5 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Henry is only the fifth player ever to reach 10,000 and score 100 touchdowns in their first 125 games, joining a list that includes Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Adrian Peterson.
The historic touchdown occurred on a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:54 left in the opening quarter. He crossed the 10,000-yard barrier on a five-yard run with 10:21 left in the second quarter. Henry is the 32nd running back in NFL history to reach 10,000 career rushing yards.
Derrick Henry's 100th career TD!!!
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024
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The most accomplished running back of his era, Henry continues to play at a high level. He entered Sunday's game as the NFL's leader in rushing yards (480) and touchdown runs (five). He's currently on pace to become the first player to post multiple 2,000-yard rushing campaigns, and the first to do so after turning 30.
Henry's production comes at a time when the running back position is changing. It's a passing league now, and many teams have eschewed bell cow backs for committee backfields. Henry, despite these changes and the workload he's taken on over the years, continues to play at a high level while being a constant reminder of the value that an elite running back can have on an offense.
As far as Henry's career is concerned, Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis recently said that Henry has already done enough to occupy a spot in Canton, Ohio, whenever he is eligible for induction.
"I think he's already there," Davis recently told CBS Sports. "He's got the 2,000-yard season, a bunch of 200-yard games. Yeah, he's there."
Davis is probably right. While there are a good amount of running back with more career yards than Henry, Henry plays in an era where running backs are no longer the vocal point of offenses. That fact is reinforced when you consider that only one other active running back -- the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott -- has more than 6,600 career rushing yards. Only nine current backs have over 6,000 career rushing yards.
Despite everything he's achieved, it's clear that Henry is still motivated to perform at a high level. There are surely several things driving him, both internal as well as external.
Henry has never won a Super Bowl, much less played in one, so that opportunity is undoubtedly one of his driving forces at this stage of his career. The Titans (his team during his first eight seasons) electing to part ways with him and his hometown Cowboys not expressing any interest in signing him this offseason are likely other forces of motivation, too.
Along with those motivations, Davis thinks that Henry also has the perspective of a player who can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"Derrick recognizes a few things. This is not forever," Davis said. "It's taking advantage of the now ... and he plays like that. He's only worried about today. I just love his approach to the game. Obviously his physical skills are tremendous, and I like his approach."
