How Ravens' Derrick Henry can make NFL history vs. Dolphins, plus assessing RB's Hall of Fame résumé
Henry is putting together a first-ballot Hall of Fame résumé
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3 min read
Derrick Henry is about to go where only 16 other rushers have gone before. The Baltimore Ravens running back enters Week 9 with 11,933 career rushing yards, meaning he's just 67 yards away from reaching the 12,000-yard threshold. That is a hallowed number in NFL history, with a little over a baker's dozen being able to accomplish the feat before him, and the veteran is expected to write himself into the record books on Thursday night.
Henry will square off against a Miami Dolphins run defense that is near the bottom of the NFL, allowing 5.0 rushing yards per attempt in 2025 (tied for fourth-highest in the league). Miami is also surrendering 145 rushing yards per game this season, and that figure is even higher (153 rushing yards per game) specifically at Hard Rock Stadium.
Given that ideal matchup, the oddsmakers believe Henry will cruise to the mile marker.
| Sportsbook | Derrick Henry's Week 9 O/U rushing yard prop |
|---|---|
90.5 (Over -114, Under -110) | |
89.5 (Over -112, Under -112) | |
89.5 (Over -122, Under -111) | |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | 90.5 (Over -120, Under -110) |
Like his Ravens as a whole, the 31-year-old has endured an up-and-down campaign in 2025, but has started to heat up in recent weeks. Since Week 6, Henry has averaged 96.5 rushing yards per game.
| Week | Henry's per-game rushing yard average |
|---|---|
Week 1 | 169.0 |
Week 2-5 | 37.0 |
Week 6-8 | 96.5 |
Just as important as him gashing opponents on the ground, he has not fumbled the football over this stretch either, and is riding a four-game fumble-less streak into Thursday night. Henry had fumbled the football three times (two lost) over the first three games of the regular season, but has been clean since.
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Not only is this an opportunity for Henry to etch himself further into NFL history, but, with Lamar Jackson back in the fold after missing time due to a hamstring injury, it's an opportunity for the 2-5 Ravens to begin turning the corner and save their season.
Derrick Henry's Hall of Fame résumé grows
When it comes to Henry, it's a matter of when, not if, the legendary running back will one day find himself in Canton, Ohio, enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For instance, 14 of his 16 other players already in the 12,000-yard rushing club are Hall of Famers.
The lone backs who aren't in Canton that have exceeded this total are Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson. Gore, the NFL's third-leading rusher all-time, is on the ballot for the first time in 2026 and is a near lock to get in. As for Peterson, he isn't eligible until 2027, but the league's fifth-leading rusher all-time is another no-doubter to be enshrined. With that in mind, this milestone alone warrants Henry for consideration, and, in my estimation, on the first ballot.
Henry has been the most physically dominant running back of his era. The former Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama was the focal point of the Tennessee Titans offense throughout his tenure, and was virtually impossible to slow down. He helped Tennessee to two division titles and four playoff appearances, one of which included a run to the AFC Championship. That year, Henry rushed for 446 yards over three playoff games (148.7 yards per game average). More recently, Henry has been a force within Baltimore's backfield, which included a 2024 campaign where he tallied over 2,000 yards from scrimmage for the second time in his career.
While we've focused on Henry's rushing yard total, it's his knack for finding the end zone that makes him otherworldly and a Hall of Fame shoo-in. Henry enters Week 9 with 112 career rushing touchdowns, which already places him fifth all-time in NFL history. He's just eight rushing scores away from knotting himself with Peterson (120) for fourth all-time, and 11 away from Marcus Allen (123) for third.
| Player | All-time rushing touchdowns |
|---|---|
1. Emmitt Smith | 164 |
2. LaDainian Tomlinson | 145 |
3. Marcus Allen | 123 |
4. Adrian Peterson | 120 |
5. Derrick Henry | 112 |
So, when it's all said and done, Henry will find himself inside the top-five call-time in career rushing touchdowns and possibly knocking on the door of the top-10 all-time in career rushing yards. If that's not a first-ballot Hall of Fame running back, I don't know what is.
You might as well start crafting the bust now.
