Derrick Henry's future is as uncertain as the franchise he's played with for all eight of his NFL seasons.
As free agency potentially awaits Henry, Jan. 9 looms large in his decision-making.
On that Tuesday, the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel, general manager Ran Carthon said the door was not "closed" on Henry returning, and the four-time Pro Bowl back just so happened to conduct a Bussin' with the Boys podcast interview.
Thusly, while Henry isn't slamming the door shut on staying in Nashville, he believes he and the Titans are likely running in different directions.
"I'm not saying it's closed," said Henry in an interview that took place on Jan. 9 but was released this week. "But I just feel like they're going in a different direction. I feel like [Vrabel's firing] definitely solidified that. And that's OK. That happens. That's the nature of the business. We want something to last forever. Nothing does, especially in this business. I'll always be a Titan, even if I don't come back. At the end of the day, I want to win the Super Bowl. Wherever that is that gives me the best chance, that's what I want to do. I don't have no bad blood or feel no type of way if I'm not back. It's just what was supposed to happen. The story is already written, we're all just living it."
Henry, whose 90 rushing touchdowns are tops in franchise history, ran for 9,502 yards wearing a Titans jersey. That tally trails just Eddie George's 10,009 for the most in club history. All things considered, it's unlikely he'll return to break the record.
As the Titans are set for a rebuild, the 30-year-old steamroller made it clear he wants to join a team that has a viable shot at a Super Bowl.
"I want to be somewhere, whatever happens, that gives me the best shot of winning the Super Bowl," he said. "The business side is the business side. At the end of the day, it has to make sense. I'm not just going to accept anything at the same time, because it's a long season, we put our bodies through a lot. But at the same time, I definitely want to be on a roster that can go out there and put ourselves in position and be able to win games, get in the playoffs and contend for a ring."
As Henry's days with the Titans have likely run their course, he admitted he was a little surprised they lasted as long as they did. The four-time Pro Bowler is of the mind that he had a trade in the works to send him out of Nashville, a proposition bandied about during the 2023 offseason and prior to the trade deadline.
"I feel like it was close," he said. "It was close. It was close, boys."
While getting traded might not have surprised him, Henry was stunned by the firing of Vrabel, who's highly regarded throughout the league.
"I'm definitely surprised," Henry said. "The body of work that Vrabs has had since he's been there -- yeah, these last two years have been tough -- but I feel like Vrabs is a great coach. He has a championship mentality. He's a leader of men. He knows (how) to get the best out of his players."
Henry's confident that Vrabel, who coached the RB and the Titans to three playoff berths and a pair of AFC South titles, will have opportunities aplenty.
"I'm sure Vrabs will have plenty of opportunities or another opportunity somewhere down the road," Henry said.
With a Titans return unlikely, perhaps a reunion with Vrabel isn't out of the question if he's hired on as a head coach elsewhere.
Henry piled up five 1,000-yard seasons for Tennessee with back-to-back rushing crowns in 2019 and 2020, the latter seeing him eclipse the 2,000-yard barrier. Vrabel was his coach for all those aforementioned seasons.
Henry will need to find a contender wanting a big bag and able to pay, likely on a short-term basis.
He's got plenty of tread on his tires, but he believes there are miles left to go.
"I ain't done playing," he said. "I'm not even close to done playing. I still feel like I can run for another 2,000, but that's for the future to tell."
