Derrick Henry received high praise from an NFL legend after a strong start to his 11th season. The Baltimore Ravens star isn't paying too much mind to the flattery. Emmitt Smith recently told DraftKings that it's "possible" Henry could break his record for all-time rushing yards.
Henry trails the former Dallas Cowboys star by 5,193 yards after tallying 144 in a Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts. "Derrick Henry is a bigger back," Smith said. "He takes great care of his body.
He's in great shape." Asked about Smith's comments on Thursday, Henry kept his sights on a Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. "I'm not really thinking about the record right now," Henry said, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "I'm focused on New Orleans." Henry had already addressed Smith's declaration earlier this week.
But, Lord willing, hopefully," Henry told Hensley. "So, we'll see." Tenth on the all-time rushing leaderboard, Henry could move to sixth if he replicated last season's 1,595 rushing yards. The 32-year-old would have to play five more seasons (including 2026) to break Smith's record based on his career average of 1,196 yards per season.
The five-time Pro Bowler hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, averaging 5.6 yards per carry since joining the Ravens in 2024. Henry has also shown remarkable durability, missing no games since Week 17 of the 2022 season. Henry still has a long way to go before catching Smith, who amassed 18,355 rushing yards over 15 seasons.
Smith submitted 2,168 over his final three years, so Henry must finish his career stronger to catch the Hall of Famer. For now, Henry will keep his attention on Sunday afternoon's home game against the Saints at 1 p.m.
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