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The most compelling argument for Derrick Henry to make the Hall of Fame

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Sam Phalen | Last updated Dec 7, 2023 6:38 PM ET

Every football fan remembers when Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry bullied his way down the field for a 99-yard touchdown run against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It was not only one of the most iconic runs in NFL history, it was also the beginning of King Henry’s reign over the NFL.

With Henry now closing in on his 30th birthday and his NFL future very much up in the air, his case to land in Canton has never been more compelling.

I believe the purpose of every Hall of Fame is to tell the story of the sport which it represents. When it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, the players, coaches, and contributors enshrined should be all-time greats whose achievements help tell the story of football. People who have legacies you cannot do without and embody different eras.

It is impossible to discuss the history of the running back position and how it has evolved without the iconic career of Derrick Henry. Over the last five calendar years (since his famous 99-yard run against Jacksonville), Henry has been the most dominant runner in the sport without a close second.

The most compelling Derrick Henry HOF argument is right here.

Henry has been the most dominant NFL running back for the last 5 calendar years; and it’s not even remotely close.

When you are that much better than everybody else at your position, you belong in Canton. #Titans pic.twitter.com/O46sOQfyzh
— Sam Phalen (@Sam_Phalen) December 7, 2023

Henry may not retire with the same career totals as some of the legendary running backs of old. Will he get to 10,000 yards? That seems likely. But will he reach the 12,000 yard mark or 100 rushing touchdowns that make him a shoe-in? Maybe not.

That said, Henry shouldn't need to have comparable statistics to Marshall Faulk or Eric Dickerson to get in. The NFL is a different league now than it is was back when those guys were running, and the statistics show just how far ahead of the current pack Henry is when it comes to rushing accolades.

1,651 yards more than the next best running back over the last five years. 25 more rushing touchdowns than the next highest total. Henry is in a category of his own while simultaneously being one of eight players to ever have a 2,000-yard season.

I'm not typically an advocate of the "short prime, but dominant" guys getting in the hall. But I'm not sure Henry even fits into that category anymore. Even in 2023, his eighth NFL season, Henry is currently the league's second leading rusher. There's a very real possibility Henry still has a few elite (or at least good) seasons left in the tank if he can find opportunity.

There's a real possibility that he logs his 5th season of 1,000 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns this year. That's already a much longer stretch of dominant play that Hall of Famer Terrell Davis had.

At the end of the day, it's rather simple. There is nobody in the last 10 years of NFL football that holds a candle to Derrick Henry as a runner. His reign has now lasted long enough to leave no doubt. If you're at the top of the game for half a decade or more, you belong in Canton.

Look at the numbers. They don't lie. You can't leave King Henry out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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