The future Hall of Famer is currently the NFL leader in touchdowns (127) and rushing yards (13,018) among active players, and his highlights are filled with defenders bouncing off his invincible body.
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Henry began his career at Tennessee and moved to Baltimore two years ago to improve his Super Bowl chances and played those two seasons under head coach John Harbaugh, who was fired last week by the Ravens after 18 seasons.
“I love Coach. He’s a great leader,” Henry told The Escapist in a recent interview. “I enjoyed my time with him in Baltimore. It’s a little sad that it all ended when I got to Baltimore, but I wish the coach the best. I definitely appreciate everything he taught us and taught me during these last two years when I was a new kid.”
Naturally, Harbaugh moved on to the New York Giants to become their new head coach.
Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner and five-time Pro Bowler, was asked how Harbaugh treats his players. His answer should delight the Giants and their fans.
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“He’s had a great philosophy on how he ran the organization and how he treated the players,” Henry said. “After we won, he would point out each player who had an impact on the game. Even if it wasn’t noticed nationally, he made sure they were appreciated throughout the organization for the effort they put into the team.”
But more importantly, Harbaugh will return structure and discipline to the Giants. After 10 double-digit losing seasons in the last 12 years, the Giants and their fans will finally have a coach worthy of the title.
“As we begin a new chapter in New York, our approach is simple,” Harbaugh said in his introductory press conference with the Giants this week, “it starts with building a team that is physical and tough, that is capable of overwhelming its opponent from start to finish, and especially at the end, that understands how to finish, that is smart and disciplined, that plays the game the way it should be played, and that everyone who watches it, including those who play it, is proud of.
“We’re going to work together. We have great, talented people to achieve a shared mission. There will be a relentless commitment to this organization, to this city and to the fans to do things the right way every day. Nothing will be taken for granted. It will always, always be about the team. The team, the team, the team. Thank you, Dad, for that. It will always be about that. Now it’s time to go to work.”
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Derrick Henry: New York Giants’ John Harbaugh ‘a great leader’