Following a dominant 44-yard touchdown run in the Baltimore Ravens’ wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Derrick Henry embraces a new nickname inspired by Lamar Jackson’s playful comparison to Lightning McQueen, the Pixar character from Cars.
Jackson likened Henry’s breakaway speed to that of the iconic race car. Henry, always known for his powerful runs, couldn’t help but laugh when he heard Jackson’s playful jab, but quickly warmed to the idea.
“I don’t want to be called anything else but McQueen,” Henry said with a smirk. “Don’t call me Derrick, just call me McQueen. No, I’m kidding. It was funny. I didn’t think that would be the comparison, but ‘L’ is ‘L.’ I told him he needs to be a comedian when he’s done playing, but I definitely got a kick and a laugh out of that.”
The comparison came after Henry’s explosive touchdown run in the third quarter of the Ravens’ 31-17 victory over Pittsburgh, a score that essentially clinched the game for Baltimore. Jackson, who watched the play unfold from the sidelines, described it as a moment straight out of a movie.
“It looked like a movie, I’m not going to lie to you,” Jackson said. “But I’d rather be watching it than be on the other side of the ball; I know that.”
Henry also found the humor in Jackson’s comparison, double-checking with his teammate if he was serious. “I just made sure, I said, ‘Were you serious on that?’” Henry recalled. “He was like, ‘I was dead serious.’ I was like, ‘OK then. McQueen, it is then.’ It was funny.”
Lamar Jackson’s lighthearted moment gave Henry a new nickname and added some humor to the Ravens’ playoff run as they prepare for their upcoming Divisional Round matchup. With Henry continuing to make waves on the field, it’s clear that Jackson’s Lightning McQueen reference is here to stay, at least for now.
As the Baltimore Ravens look to advance further in the postseason, Derrick Henry’s new moniker has become a fun talking point — but opponents will likely prefer to avoid being “on the other side of the ball” when it comes to trying to stop him.
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First Travis Kelce went Instagram official with Taylor Swift, and now this! The star couple might be looking to take another big step in their relationship. The New York Post reports that Swift and Kelce have "toured at least two homes in Cleveland’s Eastside suburbs in June." The outlet speculated that this area could "potentially boast the perfect home for a post-NFL retirement." The two were spotted having lunch together in Ohio this summer at JoJo's Bar in Chagrin Falls, with eagle-eyed fans noticing that the singer was even wearing her merchandise. The manager of JoJo's Bar spoke with PEOPLE at the time about Kelce and Swift's lunch date. "Taylor and Travis came in and had a wonderful time," John Ponyicky told the outlet. "They had a great lunch, enjoyed our food, and were really impressed with the team. Travis grew up in Cleveland Heights, so he decided to visit somewhere he was familiar with. He and Taylor were both really pleasant. They sat at the bar for a bit, but also had a private lunch in a private room." Kelce is very proud of his hometown, so it makes sense that he would always want to make sure he has a place to go back to there. However, including Swift in this decision proves that he is building a future with her.
One out, seventh inning, 2-2 tie in Arlington. Ben Rice watched from the dugout as manager Aaron Boone called Paul Goldschmidt to pinch-hit for Austin Wells. When Goldschmidt crushed a 0-2 fastball over the left-field wall for the go-ahead run, the New York Yankees had their first lead since the fifth inning. More importantly, they had it because Rice's catching ability made the crucial substitution possible. The 26-year-old's emergence as a multi-position weapon couldn't be more timely. The Yankees entered Wednesday's Texas series finale having blown a seven-game AL East lead since May 28, sitting 6.5 games behind Toronto and 3.5 behind Boston for the first wild card. They'd started August 0-5, desperate for any break before facing Houston at home. Rice represents the internal solution they've needed. His .779 OPS sits well above the .719 MLB average, powered by 16 home runs and elite contact metrics. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 95th percentile or higher in hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, expected slugging and expected weighted on-base average. Those numbers seem impossible considering where Rice started. The 2021 12th-round Dartmouth pick hit .171 in 178 plate appearances last season. But knowing he'd catch in 2025, Rice added 10 pounds to his frame and worked relentlessly on his receiving skills. The defensive flexibility pays dividends beyond Wednesday's game. Rice has posted a +2 fielding run value across 84 innings caught and 180 innings at first base. Not spectacular, but competent enough to create the matchup advantages Boone exploited against the Rangers. Rice embodies exactly what championship teams find within their system. Aaron Judge remains the Yankees' best player, but Rice may be their most valuable in pure utility terms. His ability to produce above-average offense while handling two premium positions creates strategic options other teams lack. Wednesday's sequence proved the point. Without Rice's catching ability, Boone couldn't have pinch-hit Goldschmidt in that crucial spot. The move worked because Rice had spent months building trust through consistent performance at both positions. The Yankees still trail Toronto by 6.5 games with the Astros series looming next. Their playoff chances remain fragile yet likely, per FanGraphs, after months of disappointing baseball. But Rice's ascension from .171 hitter to essential depth piece shows what's possible when overlooked talent meets opportunity. If the Yankees accomplish anything meaningful this season, they'll trace it back to moments like Wednesday's seventh inning. Not because of Goldschmidt's clutch homer, but because Ben Rice made that moment possible.
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