Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry may be lost for the remainder of the 2021 NFL season after suffering a foot injury in the Week 8 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Henry went down early in the game and was attended to on the sideline, with trainers examining his foot. While he returned on the next drive, the All-Pro running back finished with just 68 rushing yards and averaged a season-low 2.4 yards per carry.
Following the overtime victory, Henry was spotted on a cart inside Lucas Oil Stadium being taken into the locker room. Now, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Titans fear Henry is lost for the season with a significant foot injury.
Further tests will be conducted Monday, with the team learning the full extent of the damage. But it’s clear the Titans are preparing themselves to be without their best player for the rest of the year.
- Derrick Henry stats: 219 carries (1st), 937 rushing yards (1st) and 10 rushing touchdowns (1st)
According to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, Henry is believed to have suffered a broken fifth metatarsal. Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence suffered a similar injury and was expected to miss approximately 6-8 weeks. But Henry’s timeline could be much longer, given the nature of his position.
It would be a devastating blow for a team that came out of Sunday with a 6-2 record and a three-game lead over the Colts in the AFC South. Through eight games Tennessee had the fourth-highest percentage of running plays (47.36%) in the NFL.
With Henry sidelined indefinitely, Jeremy McNichols will step into a prominent role. Already without Darrynton Evans, the Titans will likely try to acquire a running back before the NFL trade deadline.