March 28, 2024

Henry runs into NFL record book as Titans rout Jaguars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Under center at the 1-yard line, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota checked out of a quarterback sneak, and Derrick Henry did the rest — as much with his arms as his legs.

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry sped and stiff-armed his way to a record-tying 99-yard touchdown run, and Tennessee routed the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-9 on Thursday night to stay in the playoff chase.

Henry matched Tony Dorsett’s 99-yarder on Jan. 3, 1983, for Dallas against Minnesota for the longest TD run in NFL history.

Henry ran to his left and went up the sideline, stiff-arming cornerback A.J. Bouye, then rookie linebacker Leon Jacobs twice and finally shoving linebacker Myles Jack to finish off the second of his four TDs.

“Once I got in the open field on that 99-yard run, it was going to take all of them,” Henry said.

“I definitely wasn’t going to go down easy, so I definitely wanted to use my stiff-arm to my advantage, and it worked.”

The Titans talked before the possession about going 99 yards, so left tackle Taylor Lewan was a bit surprised to hear the call for a quarterback sneak.

“I was like, ‘That ain’t going to get us 99 yards, boys,’” Lewan said. “But it was checked, so it was cool.”

Henry set a franchise record with 238 yards on 16 carries, topping the previous mark of 228 yards set by Chris Johnson in 2009 against, yes, the Jaguars.