What Derrick Henry said about Brian Callahan, potential of re-signing with Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry's fourth trip to the Pro Bowl comes under drastically different circumstances than his first three.
After eight seasons, 9,502 rushing yards and 90 rushing touchdowns with the Titans, Henry is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career in March. The 30-year-old back led the AFC in rushing yards in 2023 and put together his sixth consecutive double-digit touchdown season. But he's also aging out of his prime years at a time when the Titans' offense is undergoing plenty of change as a result of new coach Brian Callahan installing his schemes and philosophies.
Speaking with TennesseeTitans.com at the Pro Bowl, Henry said he's open to resigning with the Titans for a ninth season but understands there are other factors at play.
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"Any player would want to play for the organization they started with their whole career," Henry said. "I think that's a very unique and special situation, for that to be able happen. 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."
Callahan has said a player like Henry "fits in every offense" and he'll never say no to signing good players. But the type of offense Henry is accustomed to playing in isn't exactly the type of offense Callahan has history with. In Callahan's five years as Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator, feature back Joe Mixon carried 20 or more times in 19 games counting the playoffs. During that same time frame, Henry carried at least 20 times in 43 games and hit 30 carries 10 times.
Henry's contract with the Titans doesn't expire until the league year ends in March. He said the main question he's been getting at the Pro Bowl — where he's the Titans' lone representative — is whether he'll be back with the Titans for 2024.
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No matter how many times he's asked, Henry says he doesn't have a concrete answer.
"I'm not stressing," Henry said. "I am just enjoying every single moment, and whenever it is time to make a decision, we'll do that. But right now I am just having fun and enjoying life right now."
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Derrick Henry talks Brian Callahan, potential Tennessee Titans return
