Derrick Henry just exploded in Week 1, rushing for 144 yards and scoring three touchdowns, and that monster performance has him charging up the all-time career touchdown runs list to third. But that’s not even the biggest story here. The man at the very top of the NFL’s all-time rushing heap, Emmitt Smith himself, is out here saying “King Henry” might actually come for his crown.
The King’s Ransom: Chasing a Legend
Emmitt Smith has held one of football’s most insane records since 2002, when he bulldozed past Walter Payton’s 16,726 yards. Smith eventually stretched that record to a mind-boggling 18,355 yards before he hung up his cleats in 2004. Nobody, and I mean *nobody*, has even truly threatened it since. Frank Gore came closest with 16,000 yards, but that was still thousands short. Now, Henry sits at 10th all-time with 13,162 yards, and he’s the only current back who even has a prayer of catching Smith. And what did Smith say about Henry? “Oh yeah, I think it’s possible.” Smith even mentioned that Henry broke his *high school* rushing and state high school records. Talk about a full-circle moment! He called Henry a “bigger back” who “takes good care of his body” and is “in great shape.” That’s high praise from the GOAT.
The Numbers Game: How Henry Gets There
So, what’s it gonna take for Henry to actually do the unthinkable? He’s 5,193 yards short of matching Smith’s record. That’s not just a jog in the park, even for Henry. He’d need three seasons of at least 1,731 rushing yards, or four seasons averaging roughly 1,300 yards. Now, before you scoff, look at his track record. Since 2018, Henry’s averaged 1,473 rushing yards per season. That stretch includes a 2,000-yard season in 2020, and get this, the greatest season for any running back over the age of 30 in NFL history just two years ago in 2024, when he rumbled for 1,921 yards. Last season, at age 31, he put up an impressive 1,595 yards, which was the third-most prolific season for an age-31 back ever, behind only Curtis Martin in 2004 and Tiki Barber in 2006. Henry is 32 years old right now, an age when most backs are long gone or fading fast. But he’s showing no signs of slowing down. John Riggins is a guy who defied age, running for 1,347 yards at 34 and 1,239 at 35, though he did take a year off in his prime and had a strike-shortened season boost. Still, it shows it’s not impossible.
This record chase is going to be epic. Every yard Henry grinds out from here on is another step toward something truly historic. Can he actually do it? After Week 1, and with Emmitt Smith’s blessing, you have to think it’s more than just a pipe dream. This is going to be a fun season watching King Henry defy Father Time and push for immortality.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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