Derrick Henry moves into elite company with 1st-quarter TD vs. Broncos

Derrick Henry joined some exclusive company upon scoring a first-quarter touchdown in Week 9’s Broncos-Ravens matchup.

Henry trucked his way into the end zone on a seven-yard run, breaking through three attempted tackles to score his 10th TD of the season. The score was also the 100th of his nine-year career, making him the 10th running back in NFL history to reach that milestone.

The Ravens running back has scored a touchdown in each of the team’s games so far this season. One of them was a receiving TD in Week 7’s 41–31 win over the Buccaneers.

Henry came into Week 9 leading the NFL in rushing with 946 yards (180 more than the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley) and nine touchdowns (one ahead of the Rams’ Kyren Williams).

In reaching 10 TDs, Henry now has double-digit scores for seven consecutive seasons. He joins Adrian Peterson with seven straight years with 10 or more TDs. LaDainian Tomlinson holds the NFL record for most consecutive seasons with 10-plus TDs at nine.

Henry figures to bull his way further up the list, perhaps into the top five. He just leapfrogged Barry Sanders, who had 99 career TDs, and is now currently tied with Shaun Alexander and Marshall Faulk with 100 scores. Next on the list is John Riggins with 104, then Jim Brown with 106. He could certainly pass both of those legends with the season he’s having.

Emmitt Smith is the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing TDs with 164, followed by Tomlinson’s 145. Henry signed a two-year contract with Baltimore before this season and certainly looks like he’ll be productive next season after a resurgent 2024 campaign. To break into the top five all-time, he’ll have to pass Walter Payton’s 110 TDs.