Over the last half-decade, we’ve had the pleasure of watching Derrick Henry plow through defenders without mercy and with no regrets. From Alabama to the Titans, the perennial All-Pro runner is a throwback, a genuine pleasure to watch play football for those of us who love hearing that ever-satisfying pop of the pads.
That’s why when the 28-year-old Henry went on injured reserve with a broken foot earlier this season, all you could do was weep at the stiff arms and truck-stick runs we’d miss. It wasn’t quite a tragedy along the lines of “… as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced,” but the heartbreak was still palpable.
One of the best football players alive was on the shelf for a little while, and, in turn, we were all robbed of seeing his brilliance. How could you not be romantic about football?
