The Fuel That Ignites Derrick Henry

When the Ravens faced off against Derrick Henry while a member of the Tennessee Titans, you knew it was going to be a slobber-knocker. Baltimore’s regularly vaunted run defense, combined with the intensity of the rivalry and of course Henry’s unique skillset, made for must-see TV. There were times when the Ravens had The King contained – until they didn’t. Until he broke off one of those explosive runs for a touchdown during which he practically dribbled Ravens defenders down the field on his path to pay dirt.

Derrick Henry playing with Earl Thomas

(via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/gXvgGCxyaw

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 12, 2020

Because Henry helped the Titans snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, seemingly too often when playing against the Ravens, fans both feared and loathed him. Their collective disdain for the gifted running back was born out of frustration because The King taxed their team with stiff-arms while collecting royalties, the spoils of victory.

In 2024 Henry became a Raven and the same fans who once poked fun at his armadillo-like hairstyle now proudly wear his number 22 Ravens jersey to games, to grocery stores, to bars, to family gatherings like a badge of honor. Today, it’s as if Henry has been a Raven his entire career. And now that he dons the purple and black, Baltimore fans have opened their minds and their hearts, to learn more about the man beneath that “22”.

Maybe those of us in Charm City were influenced by Henry’s brutal physicality. Maybe opinions of the man were shaped by the contempt we held towards Titans’ smug head coach Mike Vrabel and the enabled miscreants that desecrated the shield at M&T Bank Stadium. Maybe we just wished he was a Raven.

And now that Derrick Henry is a, boy has the perception changed. Today, we not only embrace the player, but we also admire the man – all 6’3” and 247 pounds of him.

So, what have we learned about Henry that has reset the optics?

Well for starters, he’s not your typical 30-year-old back in the NFL. Typical 30-something tailbacks don’t rush for 1,120 yards in 10 games, average 6.1 yards per carry and score 14 touchdowns. He spends a quarter million dollars per year to take care of his body with an incredible training regimen and nutrition targeted to ignite his innate abilities.

But that’s the easy, obvious stuff. What we didn’t know or understand, is what a quality human being Henry is. He’s humble, unselfish, relentlessly committed to his craft, a great teammate and a man of faith as evidenced by the painted cross on his face during game days and the gold cross that pierces his nose.

The inspiration, the driving force that has molded this impressive player on and off the field, is none other than his late grandmother, Gladys Henry. Gladys is the mother of Derrick’s dad, Derrick, Sr. who was 16 when Jr. was born. The mother, Stacy Veal was 15. Derrick, Sr. was troubled, arrested 20 times for a variety of crimes including drug and prostitution-related offenses. He was in and out of prison. Consequently, the couple could not make ends meet. Miss Gladys stepped in to raise her grandson (along with 14 kids of her own) who she nicknamed “Shocka” because Derrick, Jr.’s birth was a shocker.

Sweet Miss Gladys nurtured “Shocka”. She gave him a stable home emphasizing faith, family and education. Her parenting resonates. Her memory remains a compass for goodness and decency in Derrick’s life.

In April of 2016, Henry was drafted by the Titans. Just a week into his first NFL season, Derrick lost his grandmother. She passed on September 13, 2016. When Henry left Alabama, he had not yet earned his degree, but he vowed to grandma that he would go back to school and do exactly that. When Henry was preparing to walk across the stage down at Tuscaloosa to add that degree in Communications to his resume, he wrote an article in The Players’ Tribune that was published on May 4, 2018.

Here’s an excerpt from it:

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Then, when I got the call on September 13, 2016 that you had passed, it was like my whole world crashed down.

You took a piece of me with you when you passed, Grandma. Life just hasn’t been the same since you left. I know you were tired and you were ready to “go home,” as we’d always say. I just wish we would have had more time. I wanted to take care of you. Do things for you. Show my appreciation for everything you did for me.

But life doesn’t always work that way, and you don’t always get those chances.

I’m just glad you’re not hurting or suffering anymore.

I guess I just want you to know that I love you and I miss you, and I’m doing all the right things. I’m keeping God first, like you always told me to. I’m working hard every day. I’m being respectful to my elders. I’m doing my lessons, Grandma — I promise I am. And when I walk across that stage in Tuscaloosa today and get my degree, I know I won’t be walking alone. You’ll be right there with me, the same way you are every day, inside my heart. I can feel your spirit. I can hear you singing.

You did a good job raising me, Grandma.

Thank you.

I love you.

— Shocka

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As fans, we invest emotional energy into sports. We cheer for our favorite teams because they bring joy to our lives. They are also a source civic pride. Yet too often, we see the players as replaceable parts, particularly if the reinforcements improve the team’s chances of winning. We sometimes overlook the human element of the sport. That’s a rather shallow perspective, but true, nonetheless.

We don’t know much about the players on a personal level. Maybe we just focus too much on their stats and their contributions to a win or a fantasy football championship. And God forbid, if they are deterrents to the team’s success, watch out.

But these men aren’t robots. They aren’t essential use equipment with guaranteed performance. They are men, with lives and challenges of their own that can affect their play on Sundays. Derrick Henry faced challenges during his formative years. But thanks to Miss Gladys, he was able to not only overcome them but conquer them on his way to what will one day be defined as a Hall of Fame career.

And if not for Miss Gladys, there’s a good chance that King Henry, the player, the man, would never have become the household name he is today. Never become the Hall of Fame man who we can all learn something from.

Thanks, to Derrick Henry for sharing his story of love and inspiration with all of us.

And special thanks to Miss Gladys for showing Shocka the way.

P.S. Thanks Skip!

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