Of all the ways the Baltimore Ravens could have rigged the 2025 season to make sure what happened — missing the playoffs — didn’t happen, there is a clear-cut No. 1 answer.
That answer — give the ball to running back Derrick Henry more.
Henry has been 1 of the NFL’s elite running backs the last 2 seasons with the Ravens, and even at 32 years old, that respect was still on display in ESPN’s hotly anticipated annual position rankings from league executives, coaches, and scouts.
While Henry dropped 4 spots from last year’s ranking to No. 6, it’s worth pointing out he’s the oldest running back on the list by 2 years, 8 years older than 3 running backs who made the list, and 1 of only 2 running backs to make the list in their 30s alongside San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
“Henry’s demise still feels far away,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 6. “Last season, Henry broke off 17 runs of 20 or more yards — four more than any player — on his way to a 5.2 yards-per-carry average on 307 attempts. His five seasons with at least 1,500 rushing yards tie Barry Sanders for the most in NFL history. He hasn’t really slowed down, to be honest, at least from what I’ve seen,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “You can knock him because he’s not the pass threat the others are. But he’s still a major problem. Guy takes care of himself like no other. Henry committed four fumbles in 2025, including a costly fourth-quarter drop in a Week 1 loss to Buffalo. But that can be forgiven because of Henry’s stellar workload and production.”
Henry also moved into the NFL’s Top 10 career rushing leaders in 2025, with his 13,018 career yards bumping Dallas Cowboys legend Tony Dorsett to No. 11.
Wow, ESPN Really Brought Up the Buffalo Fumble?
ESPN bringing up Henry’s fumble against the Bills is a twist of the knife for Henry because he gets to relive arguably the most bizarre start to any NFL season in his legendary career.
Henry had a costly 4th-quarter fumble in a season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills. That one came with 3:00 left in the fourth quarter and set up the winning score for the Bills, who rallied from a 40-25 4th-quarter deficit for a 41-40 win.
Then, Henry went on to lose fumbles in 3 consecutive games to start the season, culminating in an epic sideline crash-out in a Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions.
The fumble against the Lions came with the Ravens trailing 28-24 in the 4th quarter of a Week 3 Monday Night Football game and led to a Lions field goal in an eventual 38-30 loss.
The fumble, which came with 8:31 left to play, was followed by an uncharacteristic, emotional outburst from Henry, who slammed his helmet and tumbled into one of the bench areas — he also appeared to be near tears.
Henry finished with 12 carries for 50 yards and 1 touchdown.
Social Media Lit Up Henry After Disastrous Start
Henry’s struggles became the main talking point on social media following the loss to the Lions — most of which was focused on his epic crash out following his fumble as much as the fumble itself.
Henry, who signed a 2-year, $30 million contract extension with the Ravens in May 2025, only had 3 fumbles in the 2023 and 2024 seasons combined.
“We can blame this game on Derrick Henry’s fumble if we want, but Baltimore just got bullied up front on both sides of the ball,” The Ringer’s Diante Lee wrote on X. “That’s a much bigger problem.”
“Death, taxes and Derrick Henry fumbling in the 4th quarter with the game on the line,” X user Preston Feller wrote.
“The clip of Derrick Henry crashing out on the bench is one of the funniest videos you will see all season,” PFF’s Mike Kennedy wrote on X.
“Derrick Henry fell over like a kid having a temper tantrum,” Barstool Sports wrote on its official X account.
“You know it’s not going your way when you fall down while slamming your helmet,” Cover 1’s Anthony Cover wrote on his official X account. “Derrick Henry is going through it right now.”
“A Derrick Henry crash out is better than intercourse,” Bengals podcaster Zim wrote on their official X account.
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