Derrick Henry knows Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium could be his final one in a Tennessee Titans jersey, but he'll treat it the same as any other.
"There will definitely be a moment, last game of the season, I'll be a free agent after this year, and I've been here eight years," Henry said Thursday, . "I'll just be grateful to whoever shows up, and I know the fans will come out. Hopefully, we can finish the season strong."
Henry sits as the Titans' all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (89) and scrimmage TDs (92). He also owns the franchise's high yards per carry average (4.6) heading into Sunday's game. He ranks No. 2 in rushing yards for Tennessee with 9,349 behind only Eddie George.
Henry hits the free-agent market this offseason, and the Titans could move on from the bulldozing back, electing to give Tyjae Spears聽the lead role in 2024.
"Any player would love to play for an organization, finish out their career as long as they can," Henry said. "But there's a business side and all those types of things that go on, and I understand that. We'll just see how it shakes out during the offseason."
Henry, who turned 30 years old on Thursday, will have a fascinating free-agent market. He's a big name and a player who can motor an offense. But he won't fit every scheme and has a ton of tread on his tires, including 300-plus carries in three out of the past five seasons. 2023 marked the lowest yards per carry average of Henry's career (3.9) as he struggled to find lanes behind a porous offensive line.
The running back earned his fourth Pro Bowl, compiling 1,014 yards and 11 TDs, but acknowledged it was a difficult season.
"Sometimes you need a year like this to be able to grow, to be able to learn, to be able to reflect," Henry said. "I am definitely going to do that once this season is over. If I wasn't fueled before, I am definitely more fueled now, definitely more hungry.
"Going into this offseason, I am going to attack it as hard as I can. At the end of the day, it is about being consistent and playing at a high level. I am my worst critic, so I am going to be hard on myself regardless."
