Titans Running Back Derrick Henry, a Free Agent for the First Time, Still Loves Tennessee

Running back Derrick Henry, the Tennessee Titans’ sole representative at the Pro Bowl, remains open to a return. He even checked out new coach Brian Callahan with Peyton Manning.

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is enjoying the fun and sun in Orlando while prepping for the 2024 Pro Bowl.

Henry, a four-time Pro Bowler, is used to the hoopla, but this year has the added angle of his pending free agency.

Henry, talking to Jim Wyatt of tennesseetitans.com, said he’s getting lots of questions about where he will play next season.

“We’ll see what happens,” Henry said. “I have been a Tennessee Titan my whole career. I love Tennessee – that’s all I have known. I love the fans. This is the first time I’ve been a free agent, so we’ll see what happens. And I’ll leave everything else up to God.”

Henry turned 30 a month ago, an age when running backs often start to show decline in their play. But Henry rushed for over 150 yards in the Titans’ season finale. Titans coach Brian Callahan still believes Henry has more to give in a Titans uniform.

“A player like Derrick Henry fits in every offense,” Callahan said. “He’s been a remarkable player. He’s been the face of the franchise here for a long time. When you think of the Tennessee Titans, you think of Derrick Henry. … If he’s open to a return, that fits for us. I’m never going to say no to good players.”

Henry reiterated that he’s open to returning.

“Any player would want to play for the organization they started with their whole career. I think that’s a very unique and special situation for that to be able happen,” Henry said. “The whole coaching change, I don’t know all the details or what they’re thinking, or the plan for the team, or how they want to move forward as an organization. So we’ll have to see what happens, and I’ll leave it up to God.”

Henry spoke to one of the Pro Bowl coaches, Peyton Manning, for part of his due diligence research on Callahan.

“Peyton said he’s a great coach, and that I would love him and he would love me,” Henry said. “It was good to hear him and Peyton had a special relationship, because I’m a young Peyton Manning, so I took that very serious.”

In eight seasons with the Titans, Henry earned an Offensive Player of the Year award, four Pro Bowl selections, and one first-team All-Pro honor. Despite expressing dissatisfaction with his performance in the Titans’ 6-11 season this year, Henry still accumulated 1,167 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 17 games. He also caught 28 passes for 214 yards.

“There’s no offensive system that would say we don’t want Derrick Henry,” Callahan said on Jan. 27. “We believe there’s gas left in the tank. … I would never say no to a player like that.”

Henry is one of 24 Titans free agents and made $12.5 million last season in the final season of a four-year, $50-million deal.