Titans’ Derrick Henry Puts God First, Leads NFL in Rushing for Second Consecutive Season
By Movieguide® Staff
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry joins HOF company as he becomes the NFL rushing champion for the second consecutive season with 2,027 yards during the regular season. Henry is the first back-to-back rushing champion since LaDainian Tomlinson (‘ 06-’07).
Henry led his team to a wild card spot and the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs.
During the Titan’s final regular-season game verse the Texans, Henry broke records. After 34 carries for 250 yards and two touchdowns, Henry became the first player in NFL history to have three straight games with more than 200 yards against a single opponent.
Henry’s successful football career started before he reached the NFL.
In 2015, Henry won the decorated Heisman Trophy at Alabama. However, even after signing a multi-million dollar contract with the Titans, Henry remains focused on his relationship with God.
“I pray all the time,” Henry said. “I’m always thankful for all my blessings that God has given to me, to me and my family. My grandmother always told me, ‘Always keep God first. Always thank Him for everything in your life, good or bad.’
“I always thought, ‘What can I do to basically show off God? What can I do more than just a celebration or things like that?’ So I just thought that maybe I could put the cross on my face. It’s like He’s out there with me playing and doing the things that I’m doing.”
Tennessee @Titans star RB @KingHenry_2 explained the importance of painting a cross ✝️on his face in our latest episode with @RobMaaddi & @RemyMaaddi so if you missed it on @975TheFanatic @979ESPNRadio @WBYNFM 👉 https://t.co/BZwlOv3Tob pic.twitter.com/yFy230K2t8
— Faith On The Field (@FaithOnTheField) December 23, 2020
While Henry’s faith stays the same, NFL stardom increased the athlete’s reach and opportunity to share his faith. For Henry, he does so through his Two All Foundation. The foundation exists to help children prepare for their future.
Henry said that his grandmother, who raised Henry, was the first to introduce him to Christ at a young age.
“She had to continue to work and provide for us as a family,” Henry said during a previous interview. “Watching her get up when she didn’t want to, she worked at the Holiday Inn cleaning the hotels, so we had food on our table, clothes on our back and a roof over our head. That’s what I will always remember. It’s what she instilled in me. Always work hard. Always keep God first. Prayer is powerful. That’s what I believe in, and it’s what I will one day teach my kids.”
Henry first displayed his faith to a large audience in 2015 during his Heisman Trophy acceptance speech:
“God is everything,” Henry said. “Always keep God first. Always pray. Don’t be afraid to pray; He’ll always hear your cry. If you have dreams, go chase ’em. If you believe it, you can achieve it. God will be there every step of the way. I’m a living testament, man. … I never thought I’d be up here, but, you know, God is good. I get on my hands and knees every night and pray. I’m thankful for everything. Keep God first, always pray, and you’ll always chase your dream.”
Now, Henry looks to lead his Titans to a postseason run like last year, where they made the AFC championship as the No. 6 seeded team.