Derrick Henry throws another touchdown pass for Titans

Derrick Henry throws another touchdown pass for Titans

During the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry became the 21st player in NFL history to reach 8,500 rushing yards and 80 rushing touchdowns in his career.

The former Alabama All-American put a cherry on his accomplishment by throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josh Whyle with 10 seconds to go in the second quarter as the Titans took a 24-3 lead into halftime. Henry was lined up in the wildcat formation for the snap, and the reception was the first of Whyle’s NFL career.

The touchdown pass was not the first for Henry in his NFL career. By completing his first pass of the 2023 season, Henry has completed 6-of-7 passes for 25 yards and three touchdowns. His incompletion came in the 2018 season.

Henry also threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt in Tennessee’s 27-3 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 24, 2021, and a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Austin Hooper in the Titans’ 27-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 17, 2022.

A two-time NFL rushing champion, Henry was coming off one of the least productive games of his career, with 20 yards on 11 rushing attempts in a 27-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 24.

Henry gained more ground than that on a 29-yard touchdown run against the Bengals as the Titans took a 17-3 lead with 3:58 left in the first half.

Henry entered Sunday’s game with 8,498 rushing yards and 79 rushing touchdowns in his NFL career.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.