The Rush: Derrick Henry on Deshaun Watson’s next team and why Barry Sanders should be an agent
Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry joins The Rush to give his thoughts on whether the Kansas City Chiefs will be able to repeat as Super Bowl champs, where he’d like to see Deshaun Watson end up, rushing for more than 2000 yards in 2020 then getting praised by Barry Sanders for it, the chance he wins a second straight FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year award, and representing the AFC in the Pro Bowl by playing this year’s game on Madden. PLUS: Where did he learn his legendary stiff arm? How did he avoid becoming a defensive lineman? And is he worth $400 million?
Video Transcript
JARED QUAY: What I understand is that Deshaun Watson wants to get the hell out of Houston. I know you're probably not a betting man, but what do you think? Do you think he ends up playing in your division again next season, or are you gonna get him out of that division and hopefully go somewhere else?
DERRICK HENRY: Really, I just wish the best for him in the situation. Hope everything works out of the way he wants it to, whether he's in Houston, wherever it is. But if you're not in Houston, we would definitely appreciate it.
JARED QUAY: [LAUGHING]
DERRICK HENRY: It's definitely tough, you know, going against him each and every year.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JARED QUAY: What's up, everybody? I'm here with Tennessee Titan running back Derrick Henry. Derrick, how are you doing today, man?
DERRICK HENRY: Doing good. How you doing?
JARED QUAY: I'm doing good that you rushing with me, man. This is fun. You ran for over 2,000 yards this season, and this is after you got paid. Most people try to do that before they get paid.
DERRICK HENRY: I always tell myself I always want to be better than the year before, so I always continue to get better year after year.
JARED QUAY: Last week we had a Hall of Famer Barry Sanders on the show, and he said that he thinks you're going for 2,000 yards again next season.
DERRICK HENRY: Dang, that's-- well, I definitely appreciate that. That's somebody that-- like a hero in my eyes. And got to spend time with during Heisman commercials, so that's very cool, man.
JARED QUAY: He also mentioned that he thinks that you're worth $400 million. That's what he thinks you should be getting paid.
DERRICK HENRY: [LAUGHING] Oh, well I'm gonna have to put Barry Sanders on my team then to see if we can work out anything like that. But yeah, man, I definitely appreciate Barry Sanders. Like, he's always showing love to everyone, man.
JARED QUAY: I know you would love to be in the big game this year, but since you're not, who is your prediction to win it, the Chiefs or the Bucs?
DERRICK HENRY: I'm gonna go with the reigning champ, the Chiefs.
JARED QUAY: You were selected to your second straight Pro Bowl this year. But to keep people safe during a pandemic, it's played via Madden this year. Does that help you? Like, what's your prediction? Do you think the AFC wins this one, even though it's on Madden?
DERRICK HENRY: Oh, well I'm actually playing against somebody from NFC, so yes, AFC will definitely win. Even though the circumstances are different, the AFC's still taking it home like we did last year.
JARED QUAY: Oh, you nice. I saw the commercial where they had you working your fingers and whatnot. You're doing heavy workout.
DERRICK HENRY: Yeah.
JARED QUAY: You're up for FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year. What does it mean to be awarded this or to be nominated for it?
DERRICK HENRY: I'm very appreciative, very thankful. I couldn't do it without my teammates. I was able to win the award last year, and being nominated again is definitely a blessing. Two of the guys I'm going up against are very deserving, but hopefully I'm able to take it home.
Everybody can vote. NFL.com/FedEx. Voting ends Tuesday, February 2 at 3 PM, so hopefully I'm able to get y'alls vote and everybody else's vote and be able to take it home again.
JARED QUAY: Usually in little league they got, like, patch players. I don't know, when did you get bigger than everybody else? Because, like, how did you get to be running back when you were bigger than everybody? They supposed to put you on, like, defensive line or something.
DERRICK HENRY: Used to always play football on my grandmother's front yard with all my cousins, and I always loved the ball, running, juking people, breaking tackles. And I think it all came natural. My older cousin, he played running back in high school, and I fell in love with it even more. That's the position I always wanted to play, and that's how I always stuck.
JARED QUAY: One of your biggest moves is the stiff arm, man. You be stiff arming people to the next day, man. That's how hard you push them. And I wonder, like, did you study film on stiff arms? Is this natural? Like, who else do you model your stiff arm after?
DERRICK HENRY: Oh, yeah. Well, I've always been tall, long, and a lanky guy growing up. And when I started playing football I think it just came natural. I just stuck my arm out there, and I broke tackles. I was like, hey, this is working. I'm gonna keep doing it.
JARED QUAY: Embarrassing grown men with kids on national television. No, I'm joking.
DERRICK HENRY: [LAUGHING]
JARED QUAY: Yo, man. Thank you for rushing with me, man. I appreciate this, man. I hope you do go out and get that MVP at the Pro Bowl, and I hope you go for 2,000 yards again next season so you can prove Barry right, man.
DERRICK HENRY: Thank you so much. Thank y'all for having me. I'm very appreciative.