Ravens' Derrick Henry not thinking retirement as he approaches uncharted territory for RBs

There is not a position in football that churns through players faster and with more ferocity than running back. They have the shortest careers in the league, their prime years are notoriously limited, and they have a tendency to burn out by their late 20s. 

All of that is what makes Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry such an anomaly at the position. 

He is set to enter his 11th NFL season in 2026, and will be 32 years old. Despite the mileage he has accumulated, and his age, and the historical track record of the position, Henry has shown no sign of slowing down. He is also not even thinking about retiring. 

Ravens running back Derrick Henry not even thinking about retirement

In what seems to be a yearly occurrence for him at this point, Henry was asked about his future again on Thursday and said retirement never even enters his thought process, and especially at this time of year.

From The Athletic:

“I don’t try to enter another season thinking about retiring and have that on my mind,” Henry said after the Ravens’ training camp practice Thursday. “That’s not even my mindset. My mindset is: How can I get better, be the best I can be so we can be the best team we can be? But no, I haven’t thought about retirement at all.”

With the way he is still going, and the shape he is still in, why would he think about it? 

He is coming off another monster season for the Ravens that saw him rush for 1,595 yards, and is just one year removed from flirting with what would have been a second 2,000-yard season having rushed for 1,921 yards in 2024.  

He remains one of the best and most dominant running backs in football, and a vital part of the Ravens offense alongside quarterback Lamar Jackson. As those two go, so do the Ravens. 

If Henry can top the 1,000-yard mark this season he will be just the 15th running back in NFL history to do so in their age 32 season or older, and just the third since 2009 (joining Ricky Williams, Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore). 

Only eight running backs have topped 1,000 yards in their age 33 season or older, which would be relevant for Henry if he returns next season. 

The thing that stands out about Henry is not just the production, but also the durability at this stage of his career. He has missed just one game over the past four years, and has played in all 17 games in each of the past three seasons. 

(Data via Pro Football Reference Stathead Database)