How fast is Derrick Henry? Titans star's incredible speed is a handful for NFL defenses
Derrick Henry is many things. He is the best running back in the league by a mile, and is quite possibly going to end up as the best ever if he keeps up his form. One of the reasons Derrick Henry is so dominant is because of his physique. He weighs 238 lbs and stands 6'3" tall. With such a frame, speed is not the immediate thought that one associates with Derrick Henry.
But now they can do so as Derrick Henry just became the fastest man in the NFL this season.
Derrick Henry bamboozles with speed
It came about in the Tennessee Titans' victory over the Buffalo Bills. In the game, Derrick Henry scored a 76-yard rushing touchdown.
GOING, GOING, GONE. The King has done it again.
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Taking the ball from Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry initially accelerated but ran into Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer. Using his powerful frame, he brushed him aside to find the field open in front of him. It was then he put on the afterburner to leave all the other defenders trailing behind in his wake as he comfortably scored a touchdown.
While scoring that touchdown, he reached a top speed of 21.8 mph. That is the fastest Derrick Henry has ever run on an NFL field. It is also the fastest anyone has run this season
Derrick Henry (76-yard rush TD)
Henry reached a top speed of 21.80 mph, the fastest speed reached by a ball carrier this season, and fastest play of Henry's career as a ball carrier.
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This is a genuinely scary prospect for opposition defenses. If Derrick Henry can go this fast with his humongous build, that means he can generate sufficient momentum to beat just about everyone. But if this is keeping opposition defenders up at night, wait until you hear what Henry has to say about his speed.
He says that, despite this being his personal best, he still is not satisfied with the speed recorded here. He believes he can go faster. He said,
“Still too slow! I’m from Florida, so Florida boys, it’s in the water. If you’re from Florida, you got to have speed. The credit goes to those guys up front, working every day, pushing each other, fighting, pushing the piles, blocking tight ends, fullbacks, all the credit goes to them. I just got to do my job. They make my job easy. Those guys just having the will to want to be better each and every play, each and every week, just that mentality.”
The constant will for betterment and Derrick Henry's humility, where he shares credit for his achievements with others, shows just why he is among the elite.