Tennessee
How Derrick Henry, now 30, with Tennessee Titans deal expiring, is punching to next phase
Another 1,000-yard season. Another Pro Bowl nod. Another year in the life of Derrick Henry.
Well . . . not exactly.
“I’m not too proud of it this year,” Henry said Thursday of the Pro Bowl nod on his 30th birthday, one day after being voted in for the fourth time in five seasons. ” . . . Sometimes you need a year like this to be able to grow, to be able to learn, to be able to reflect.
“I definitely want to do that once the season’s over. If I wasn’t fueled before, I’m definitely more fueled now, definitely more motivated, definitely more hungry and going into this offseason attacking it as hard as I can.”
Henry and the Tennessee Titans (5-11) finish their season against Henry’s hometown Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) at Nissan Stadium on Sunday (noon, CBS). It will be his last guaranteed game in a Titans uniform, as the star running back becomes a free agent in March.
Now at the dreaded age for running backs and trying to put a bow on one of his least effective and most frustrating seasons as a pro, Henry has to add “ponder my future” to his fueled, motivated, hungry, attacking plans for the offseason.
“Any player would love to play for an organization and finish out their career as long as they can,” he said. “But there’s a business side and all those type of things that go on. I understand that. We’ll just see how it shakes out in the offseason.”
Derrick Henry at 30 years old
Age matters more at running back than any other position. In the past five seasons, there are only 16 players who’ve started even one game at running back after turning 30. By comparison, there have been 38 quarterbacks, 45 tight ends, 55 receivers and 146 offensive linemen who continued to start into their 30s.
Henry knows the stigma. He said he sought advice on the topic from Barry Sanders at the Super Bowl last year. He said he has looked to the examples of LaDainian Tomlinson and Fred Taylor, two of his childhood heroes, about how to age well in the league. He says that sometimes when he needs motivation, he goes online and looks up how various backs played in their 30s.
But Sanders famously retired after his age-30 season. Tomlinson never rushed for 1,000 yards again after his age-29 season. Since 2000, more players have rushed for 1,000 yards at age 29 than all players in their 30s combined. Only eight of the 21 running backs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played after 1970 had a 1,000-yard season in their 30s.
Even the best of the best struggle to do what Henry’s trying to do.
“He’s turning 30. At that position, that’s considered really old in the NFL,” Titans running backs coach Justin Outten told The Tennessean. “It’s just pushing past that age. Age is just a number at that point. The older you get, the more technical and the more detailed you have to be. That way you can still play at a high level. He’s done that throughout the season. He’s going to continue to do that.”
Derrick Henry at the end of an era
Henry also is trying to forge his second act in an era when fewer players are afforded a chance to have a first act, at least in the way Henry did. He is the only player who has debuted since 2010 with five 1,000-yard rushing seasons. There are only two other players within 500 rushing attempts of Henry’s total since he entered the league. He is one of just four players in the past decade to touch the ball 350 or more times in multiple seasons; in the decade before, there were 14 such players.
And then there’s the matter of how much players like Henry can be counted on to lead teams where they want to go. Only three of the past 15 Super Bowl champions featured a 1,000-yard rusher on their roster. The most recent team to win a Super Bowl behind a player who finished in the top three in the NFL in rushing yards was the 2004 New England Patriots.
That running back was Corey Dillon, and for whatever it’s worth, he was 30 years old. So was LeGarrette Blount, the last 1,000-yard rusher to win a Super Bowl, when he was with the Patriots in 2017.
Outliers exist. Henry wants to be one.
Derrick Henry’s legacy at the end
No one stat can encapsulate Henry’s greatness. This one might come close, though.
Pro Football Focus has data on yards gained after contact dating to 2006. Henry owns three of the six best seasons by yards after contact, including the two best, in that span. Henry and Adrian Peterson are the only players with multiple seasons exceeding 1,200 yards after contact.
Henry has multiple seasons where he exceeded 1,500 yards after contact.
Even this year, with a career-low 3.9 yards per carry and having more than 100 yards a game just three times, he’s second in the NFL in yards after contact. He gets hit. He keeps going.
No one has been more of an engine for any team the past eight years than Henry has been for the Titans. And this weekend could be the last chance for Titans fans to show their appreciation.
“It’s the last game of the season. I’m a free agent after this year. I’ve been here eight years,” he said. “I’ll just be grateful to whoever shows up. I know the fans will come out and hopefully we put on a show and are able to finish strong.”
Henry said he isn’t asked about free agency often. He doesn’t go out in public much. He keeps a close circle. It can’t be a surprise that the guy with the impulse control to avoid eating gluten, dairy, artificial sugar and fried food can also keep his mind on the task at hand.
He says he wants to treat Sunday’s game like any other game. And what comes after that, what Henry does in his 30s and whose uniform he wears while doing it, all of that comes later.
“We’ll see,” Henry said with a wry smile when asked about beating the reputation 30-year-old running backs carry. “We’ll see.”
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 6, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 6 drawing
17-44-63-66-67, Powerball: 04, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 6 drawing
12-16-19-21-23, Star Ball: 10, ASB: 03
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 6 drawing
Morning: 1-8-6, Wild: 1
Midday: 3-3-5, Wild: 6
Evening: 7-6-0, Wild: 6
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 6 drawing
Morning: 9-0-5-4, Wild: 7
Midday: 3-8-1-8, Wild: 8
Evening: 0-1-6-3, Wild: 6
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 6 drawing
04-13-19-25-27
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 6 drawing
05-15-17-30-31, Bonus: 04
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 6 drawing
22-25-27-47-50, Powerball: 21
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 6 drawing
02-08-32-54-56, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Tennessee
The Recipient of Taylor Swift’s Bouquet Toss Has Strong Tennessee Football, Lady Vols Basketball Ties | Rocky Top Insider
This past weekend, music icon Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce tied the knot and were married in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Among the long list of antendees featured celebrities and athletes with ties to the two parties.
One of the athletes in attendance was Kelce’s teammate on the Kansas City Chiefs, Trey Smith. Attending alongside the former Tennessee football standout was his sister, Ashley Smith.
On top of being present for one of the most publicized weddings in recent history, Ashley Smith is leaving with a souvenir of sorts. She caught Swift’s bouquet toss, traditionally meaning she will be the next to get married.
“Celebrated an Enchanting Love S(T&T)ory,” Ashley Smith wrote on Instagram. “And somehow…I ended up catching Tay Tay’s bouquet. So here’s to believing it’s bringing a lifetime of love, luck, and laughter my way. Congratulations, Taylor & Travis! Cheers to forever T&T!”
More From RTI: Tennessee Athletics Explains The Details of New Adidas Uniforms
Along with being near the Tennessee football program as the sister of one of the Vols’ best players, Ashley Smith played a role within the team. Initially, she worked in the Tennessee football office as Director of Football Administration & Special Events. She was then elevated to Director of Student-Athlete Career Development in 2018. She is now the Manager of Player Engagement in the NFL.
“Ashley has done a fine job for us, and I believe she’ll really thrive in this role,” then-Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer said at the time of her promotion at UT. “She was fantastic in her role with football, but now that she’s working with all sports, she’ll be able to make a positive impact on more of our student-athletes. She understands how important it is that they have resources and advocates to help them transition to the next phase of their career.”
Ashley Smith graduated from Tennessee in 2013. During her time as a student, she served as the head student manager under Pat Summitt’s Lady Vols basketball program. After graduation, she worked in the NCAA’s national office in Indianapolis and earned a master’s degree at Florida before returning to UT.
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