When Derrick Henry went down with a foot injury during the 2021 NFL season, many wondered just how much that would impact him.
At the time of the injury, he had been on pace to lead the NFL in carries for a third consecutive season. He hadn't endured many injury problems during the early stages of his career, but would that change as he inched closer and closer to 1,500 career carries?
And would Henry, who turned 28 in early January, start to decline as many running backs do as they get to the latter stages of their 20s?
Those questions were at the forefront of people's minds as Henry looked to rebound during the 2022 NFL season. To date, Henry has quelled those concerns with another dominant season.
Henry continues to be one of the best running backs in the league. He looks a lot more explosive and powerful than he did after returning from injury to play in the team's lone playoff game of last season.
Certainly, Henry's return to form has been welcome for Titans fans and fantasy football fans alike. But just how difficult was it for him to put forth this impressive, comeback season? Here is a recap of his injury trouble in 2021 and an exploration of his stats from this season compared to last.
MORE: Stats, highlights from Derrick Henry's unreal high school football career
What was Derrick Henry's injury?
Henry suffered a broken foot during the Titans vs. Colts game in Week 8 of the 2021 NFL season. More specifically, he broke his fifth metatarsal, which is known as a Jones fracture.
It wasn't clear exactly which play Henry was injured on during his outing against the Colts. It likely happened at some point in the first quarter, as he left the field gingerly at one point and was spotted limping around the Tennessee sideline with his cleat off. He finished the game but totaled just 68 yards on 28 carries.
Henry's injury was initially reported to be a potential season-ending one, but the timeline was later adjusted to be a 6-10 week recovery. That gave Henry the possibility to return by Week 14, though it was always more likely that he would attempt to return if the Titans made a postseason run.
He did just that, and it was partly thanks to the unique way that he decided to surgically repair his foot.
How did Derrick Henry recover from his injury?
Henry put in a lot of work to recover from his injury and nearly was able to meet the latter end of the 6-to-10-week timeline. The Titans designated him to return from IR before Week 18 but didn't activate him for that contest, which would have been the 10-week mark in his return.
Tennessee likely did this with the playoffs in mind, as it bought Henry a couple of extra weeks to heal before their game as the No. 1 seed in the divisional round.
It's also worth noting that the surgery Henry had to repair the Jones fracture was a bit different than most surgeries of that nature. Dr. Geoff Watson of the Bone and Joint Institute explained to A to Z Sports Nashville that most fractures of that nature are repaired with just a screw. Henry's was repaired with a screw and a plate.
"He actually had a plate and screws to stabilize it, so they made a little bit bigger incision," Watson said. "Then, they put a plate on the outside of the bone where the tension side is, and that helps to prevent that bone from capping."
How did that impact Henry? Well, it put the six-week mark in his rehab out of reach, but it helped to further stabilize the injury and remove tension from the foot, as Watson described. The longer recovery timeline still had Henry on track for a playoff return, so it seems that the Titans had an eye on making sure his foot was fully healed before activating him.
It's also worth noting that Henry had surgery on Tuesday, Nov. 2. That was just a day after the injury was revealed, so the Titans wasted no time getting him treatment and giving him a chance to return.
As for Henry's rehab, coach Mike Vrabel said that Henry was "working hard to do everything he can to get back" during a late November news conference. That entailed working with Titans trainers "on a daily basis" to speed up his recovery, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in mid-December.
Henry wears a walking boot as a precaution when he's away from the facility, but he's been working with the Titans' trainers on a daily basis. He's remained in good spirits and part of the operation.
Suffice to say that the Titans' plan and timeline worked for Henry. Now, they'll have him back for the most important game of the season against the Bengals.
Derrick Henry injury timeline
— Oct. 31: Henry suffers an apparent foot injury against the Colts. He returns to the game but racks up 68 rushing yards on 28 carries for a season-low 2.4 yards per carry.
— Oct. 31: After the game, it is revealed that Henry will get an MRI to look at his foot injury on Monday. Not much is made of these reports.
— Nov. 1: ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Henry's season could be in jeopardy as a result of his foot injury.
Titans’ RB Derrick Henry suffered a potentially season-ending foot injury during Sunday’s 34-31 win over Indianapolis, sources reported ESPN. Henry is undergoing an MRI today to determine the full extent of the damage.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2021
— Nov. 1: Mike Vrabel confirms that Henry will be sidelined by doesn't give an update about his timetable report. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that will be roughly 6-10 weeks, so Henry will have a chance to return if he doesn't suffer a setback or take longer than expected to heal.
— Nov. 1: Henry is placed on IR by the Titans. This is no surprise considering that he will miss six weeks of action, bare minimum. He is technically eligible to return after three games on IR.
— Nov. 2: The Titans officially sign Adrian Peterson and D'Onta Foreman to the practice squad.
— Dec. 12: Rapoport reports that Henry will have a chance to return if the Titans make the playoffs or face a win-and-in scenario in Week 18.
— Jan. 3: Mike Vrabel says that Henry's practice window could open ahead of Week 18. He won't play in that contest, as the Titans have the AFC South wrapped up, but he could return for the Divisional Round if the Titans earn the No. 1 seed.
Once activated, Henry will have a maximum of three weeks to practice before he rejoins the 53-man roster. If he can't return to form in three weeks, his season would be over.
— Jan. 5: The Titans officially designate Henry to return from IR, giving him three weeks (21 days) to be activated to the 53-man roster. If the Titans get the No. 1 seed, Henry will presumably be able to play in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.
— Jan. 18: Henry begins to participate in padded practices with the Titans and is cleared for contact. Vrabel calls it a "good step" in his recovery but wouldn't commit to him returning to play against the Bengals.
— Jan. 19: Henry is asked whether he will play against the Bengals in the Titans' divisional round playoff game. Per ESPN, he smiles and says, "We'll see how this week goes."
— Jan. 20: Mike Vrabel says a final decision on Henry's status will be made on Friday.
— Jan. 21: The Titans officially activate Henry from IR. This puts him on track to play against the Bengals in the AFC playoffs divisional round.
— Jan. 22: Henry isn't expected to be on a snap count in the playoff game, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
— Jan. 22: Henry rushes for 62 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against the Bengals. The Titans lose 19-16 ending their season and giving Henry plenty of time to get healthier ahead of the 2022 NFL season.
MORE: A.J. Brown throws shade at Titans in since-deleted tweet
Has Derrick Henry's injury impacted him in 2022?
So far, Henry hasn't been impacted much by his injury in 2022. He spent the offseason getting healthy and has looked as solid as ever for the run-heavy Titans offense.
Henry has appeared on the injury report once thus far in 2022 with a foot problem. That happened ahead of Week 9 and it caused him to miss one practice on a Thursday and be limited in another. Thus, it seems like that was more of a load management situation than anything else.
Additionally, Mike Vrabel and the Titans opted not to play Henry in the preseason to keep him healthy. This was, in part, due to his injury but was also because he is a veteran with a lot of tread on his tires.
Overall though, it seems that Henry's injury healed nicely and has been put well in the rearview mirror. And the stats show that he is still one of the most productive running backs in the NFL.
MORE: Derrick Henry tramples Texans again; breaks record set by Eddie George
Derrick Henry stats before and after injury
Henry has continued to produce at a solid clip since his injury. He is on pace to lead the NFL in carries for the third time in four seasons and will almost certainly record double-digit rushing touchdowns for the fifth consecutive season.
In looking at his 2022 stats, they compare favorably to the ones he posted in 2021, a season during which he was on pace to lead the league in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns before he was injured.
Below is a look at his total numbers from each of the last two seasons:
| Stat | Henry in 2021 | Henry in 2022 |
| Games | 8 | 9 |
| Carries | 219 | 202 |
| Rushing yards | 937 | 923 |
| Rush TDs | 10 | 9 |
| Yards per carry | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Catches | 18 | 16 |
| Receiving yards | 154 | 154 |
Certainly, those are eerily similar. They aren't exactly the same, as Henry had more opportunities and was more productive on a per-game basis in 2021, but his efficiency has allowed him to produce at a nearly identical rate despite fewer carries in 2022.
It's also noteworthy that Henry is continuing to produce despite a weaker supporting cast. The Titans traded A.J. Brown during the 2022 NFL offseason and lost a couple of great, run-blocking, veteran starters along their front in Rodger Saffold and David Quessenberry.
So, in some ways, what Henry is doing in 2022 is more impressive than what he is done in previous seasons. He remains one of the NFL's best running backs and has surely ensured that no regression has come as a result of his injury.
