On Sunday, Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry crossed a milestone years in the making, surpassing his record-breaking high school rushing total.
In Baltimore’s 27–19 Week 10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Henry rushed for 75 yards, taking his career total to 12,127 yards, just enough to move past the 12,124 yards he amassed at Yulee High School (Florida) from 2009 to 2012. It took the 31-year-old ten NFL seasons to eclipse a number he reached in only four years as a teenager.
Henry’s performance also pushed him past Hall of Fame legends Thurman Thomas (12,074) and Franco Harris (12,120), placing him 15th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. Earlier this season, he became just the 17th player ever to join the 12,000-yard rushing club, a group in which every eligible name on the list resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Henry is now less than 200 yards shy of surpassing Jim Brown (12,312) for 11th all-time. He also moved into the top five all-time in rushing touchdowns, recently surpassing Walter Payton in that category.
His story of success originates in his high school years, when he was virtually unstoppable. At Yulee, Henry rewrote record books by setting the national career rushing record with 12,124 yards. His senior season alone produced 4,261 yards and 55 touchdowns on 462 carries, averaging an astonishing 327.8 rushing yards per game. Memorable moments included a 480-yard playoff performance in 2012 when he broke Ken Hall’s 59-year-old national record, and several other games exceeding 300 yards on the ground.
Henry’s high school legacy began as a freshman in 2009 when he carried Yulee to its first-ever victory over rival Fernandina Beach with 275 yards on 43 carries. By his sophomore year, he was a national name after torching Atlantic Coast High for 301 yards on just 17 carries.
For the Ravens, Henry's milestone came in the thick of a season-defining grind. After starting the season 1–5, Baltimore moved to 4-5 following the win against Minnesota. The Ravens will conclude their three-game road trip next week with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
