Derrick Henry's investment in himself is paying off for him and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens signed Henry to a two-year, $16 million contract this offseason, the team's splashiest move of the offseason.
At 30 years old, with tons of carries on his legs, some wondered if Henry might be on the decline.
However, the Ravens believed in Henry because of his work ethic and dedication to the game.
As The Athletic's Dan Pompei detailed this offseason, Henry spends about $240,000 per year on a body maintenance plan. That includes a personal chef and advanced recovery methods like massages, hyperbaric oxygen, and infrared saunas. Henry also receives IVs with vitamins and nutrients three times a week.
Pompei reported Henry has a strict diet, avoiding gluten, artificial sugar, fried foods, and dairy. During the season, Henry reportedly doesn't eat until 4 or 5 p.m. and will have only other meal afterward. But those meals are massive in nature.
"I probably eat three chicken breasts, some rice and broccoli," Henry told Pompei. "Then I have some gluten-free pancakes, scrambled eggs, diced potatoes, home fries and some steak."
And Henry is maniacal about working out. He does two-a-days shortly after the season, hardly taking any time off. His lifting regimen includes massive weights, like 80 lb dumbbell curls and Bulgarian split squats with 120 lb dumbbells.
All of that, combined with Henry's imposing physique, makes him a dominant runner.
His body plan came up during the Ravens-Cowboys game, with Fox's Tom Rinaldi reporting many of the same details, calling Henry "obsessive."
Derrick Henry spends over $250K per year on body maintenance.pic.twitter.com/cTvi1A8fKP
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 22, 2024
That dedication to his body is already paying off for the Ravens.
Henry had a quiet Week 1, but over his last two games, he has looked the famed "King Henry" who has long been the NFL's most dominant rusher.
In the Ravens' Week 3 win over the Dallas Cowboys, their first win of the season, Henry carried the ball 25 times for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also added one catch for 23 yards.
This comes after Henry 18 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.
Based on his per-game average after three weeks, Henry is on pace to run for 1,592 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Henry will obviously have quieter weeks. After all, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters after Week 1 that the Ravens don't plan to give Henry 30 touches per game.
But Henry seems like he can handle it if the Ravens change their mind.
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