Derrick Henry will deservedly be remembered as one of the greatest running backs of all time whenever he decides to hang up the cleats. He's a tackle-breaking machine who keeps chugging along and defying Father Time. However, his fumbling issues early in the 2025 NFL campaign are a reminder that "The King" is human after all.
Henry was visibly dejected after fumbling in a third consecutive game in Baltimore's 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions. He couldn't contain himself following his second costly game-altering fourth-quarter turnover to start the season, which attributed to the Ravens shockingly dropping to 1-2. Frustration is clearly mounting, and rightfully so.
Ravens star RB Derrick Henry wears heart on sleeve after another crucial fumble vs. Lions
You can see Henry toss his helmet on the stands on the sidelines. The momentum led him to fall over and onto the bleacher, highlighting the amount of anger and force in the launch. It's unlike the behavior we've become accustomed to expect from the even-keeled star.
While Henry wasn't the sole reason the Ravens fell short against the Lions, he reacted as such. His glaring miscue effectively derailed any chance Baltimore had to win in the closing stages of the contest. Yet, Baltimore's defense giving up 38 points or their offensive line allowing all-world quarterback Lamar Jackson to take seven sacks shouldn't be overlooked.
As a fan, it can be refreshing when someone of Henry's stature and personality takes accountability and shows emotion. Sometimes, even the cream of the crop sinks; how they handle adversity contributes to what separates them from the rest of the pack. Nevertheless, the five-time Pro Bowler looked like he wanted to cry, which raises questions about his current confidence level (or lack thereof).
Are the blunders taking a toll on Henry mentally? Obviously, the Ravens want him to be mindful of protecting the football. Nevertheless, they presumably hope the longtime bell cow doesn't do so at the expense of his game-changing dynamism.
Baltimore needs Henry to reach its ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. They can't afford to have him looking over his shoulder every time he totes the rock. There's a fine line between being cautious and overly aggressive that Baltimore must ostensibly recalibrate.
There's no sugarcoating it: Henry has burned the Ravens twice thus far this year. But his track record speaks for itself, and Lions standout edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson deserves credit for a helluva punch-out.