The Tennessee Titans secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC heading into the playoffs, which came with a first-round bye. That bye was important for the Titans, as they are preparing to return star running back Derrick Henry to the starting lineup after he sat out the past two-and-a-half months with a foot injury.
Henry has been designated to return from IR and has practiced, but he has not been activated to the 53-man roster just yet. The 2020 NFL Offensive Player of the Year spoke to reporters on Wednesday, but didn't confirm he would be playing vs. the Cincinnati Bengals come Saturday.
"Do I expect to play? We'll see how this week goes, and we'll see where I'm at on Saturday," Henry said, via WKRN's Kayla Anderson.
The response in text form looks one way, but how Henry said those words looks another. The two-time Pro Bowler had a smile on his face as if he was trying to keep a secret.
"It all starts out here on the practice field and doing everything I can to be ready for Saturday," Henry said. "That's where it starts. Just trying to work hard, trying to be the best I can, be the best player I can be for this team and try to contribute as best as I can. But the work starts out here like it always does."
Henry led the league in rushing in each of the past two seasons, and was on track to do so again in 2021 before his injury. In just eight games played, he rushed for 937 yards and 10 touchdowns. It remains to be seen if Henry will look like the same elite playmaker he was before foot surgery, but videos from Titans practice make it look as though he's ready to go.