After eight years and countless unforgettable moments with the Tennessee Titans, running back Derrick Henry may have played his last game in the two-tone blue.
Henry, who is set to be a free agent in 2024, is doing and saying all the things that make it seem like he doesn’t expect to be back.
After the game, he addressed fans on the field, saying: “Titans fans, I want to thank you for the eight greatest years of my life.”
Henry then met with fans outside the stadium, where he signed autographs and took pictures.
When asked about his future with the team, Henry echoed his sentiments from earlier this week that he’d love to spend the rest of his career with Tennessee, but also acknowledged the business side of things.
“I said earlier that any player would love to play for one franchise over their whole career,” Henry said, per John Glennon of Nashville Post. “Us getting so close like we did and not finishing it, that’s always going to be in the back of your mind.
“I want to bring the Super Bowl here really bad,” he added. “That’s one of my main goals, no matter how I do in the season, just want to bring one here. Who knows what happens? At the end of the day, any player would want to play for an organization their whole career. But it’s a business.”
Henry hit the age of 30 on Jan. 4, so his time to win a Super Bowl is running out. He made it quite clear that is a big priority for him moving forward.
“When that times comes, we’ll evaluate and see what makes sense,” Henry said when asked about what he might be looking for in a contract. “I ain’t getting no younger. I want a ring. I want to win the Super Bowl.
“I’m in Year 8 now, so the Super Bowl is definitely my next goal,” he added. “That’s what I want to get. So however that comes and however I have to evaluate to be able to get close to that, that’s what I’ll do.”
Bringing Henry back makes sense, since he’s a great complement to rookie back Tyjae Spears — but it takes two to tango.
Cost will play a big role in the Titans’ desire to bring him back if they are open to it, and the opportunity to win a Super Bowl will clearly play a big role in Henry’s ultimate decision.