Category: Bama in NFL

Derrick Henry ties NFL records and sets new milestones after historic 2024 regular season

The Alabama football legend finished off the regular season with a BANG.

Former Alabama football star Derrick Henry capped off an NFL regular season for the record books on Saturday.

Playing on his 31st birthday, the veteran running back who’s now in his ninth NFL season rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries in the Baltimore Ravens’ 35-10 win over the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

In his first season with the Ravens, Henry helped Baltimore to a 12-5 record and the AFC North title with their fourth straight win.

It took a while for Henry to get going, but in the third quarter he had a 25-yard run and another that went for 20 yards. He finished an eight-play, 70-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run to put the Ravens ahead 28-10 with 6:44 to play in the game, then broke a 43-yard run on the next series to cap the game’s scoring.

Henry finished the regular season with 16 rushing touchdowns, which tied Jamal Lewis (2003) for the Ravens’ all-time lead in rushing touchdowns in a single season. In 17 games this season, he amassed 1,921 rushing yards, plus 193 receiving yards on 19 catches.

His 18 all-purpose touchdowns tied a career best from his 2019 season with the Tennessee Titans. Henry led the league in rushing that year and was tied for the league lead in rushing TDs with 16.

With his Week 18 performance Saturday, Henry also tied the legendary Jim Brown for sixth place on the NFL’s list of all-time career rushing touchdown leaders with 106. Henry is four touchdowns shy of tying Walter Payton for fifth place.

As our pal John Graham (@BamaProUpdates) noted, Henry became the first running back in NFL history to rush for 1,900 or more yards in two different NFL seasons (2020 and ’24).

Henry was a second-round draft pick (No. 45 overall) by the Titans in 2016 following a historic career at Alabama. In three seasons with the Crimson Tide, the Yulee (Fla.) High School star finished with 3,591 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns. Those were school records at Alabama until Najee Harris surpassed Henry in 2020.

The Ravens signed Henry to a two-year, $16 million contract last March after he spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Titans.

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10 former Alabama players to appear in 2025 NFL Pro Bowl

The 2025 NFL Pro Bowl will be headlined by Alabama with 10 former players.

In recent years, the NFL Pro Bowl has become more of a vacation than anything for the players as they have replaced the full-contact game with weeklong skill challenges and a flag football game. However, it is still always an honor to be recognized as one of the best players in the NFL.

The 2025 Pro Bowl will be the first weekend of February this year, with the Super Bowl the following weekend. This year’s Pro Bowl will again be littered with former Alabama Crimson Tide players as they lead all colleges with 10 selected players. RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Josh Jacobs, OG Landon Dickerson, FS Xavier McKinney and SS Brian Branch will represent the NFC while WR Jerry Jeudy, RB Derrick Henry, CB Marlon Humphrey, CB Patrick Surtain and FS Minkah Fitzpatrick will represent the AFC.

Kansas City Chiefs TE and future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce led all votes with 252,200, but Detroit Lions Jahmyr Gibbs was right on his heels finishing second with 250,082.

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Washington Commanders waive former Alabama DL Phidarian Mathis

Former Alabama DL waived by Washington Commanders with two games left.

After just two seasons in the nation’s capital with the Washington Commanders, former Alabama Crimson Tide DL Phidarian Mathis will have a new home for the remainder of the 2024 season after being released Friday evening. The former second-round pick has appeared in 12 games for the Commanders this season, so the release comes as a bit of a surprise, but the belief is they are trying to open a roster spot for star DL Jonathan Allen, who’s set to return from the IR for the post-season.

Mathis only had 17 tackles on the year with Washington in 12 games, but he should have several suitors on the market with the start of the playoffs right around the corner. At 6’4 and 312 pounds, he is a great depth piece for any defense trying to make a Super Bowl run, but never quite lived up to the second round billing.

Former Alabama players have typically faired pretty well for the Commanders with Brian Robinson, Daron Payne and Allen still on the active roster. At 10-5 on the year, Washington looks like they’ll make their first Playoff appearance since 2020 and they have not won a Playoff game since the 2005 season.

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Baltimore Ravens waive former Alabama DB Eddie Jackson

Former Alabama DB waived by Baltimore Ravens.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide DB Eddie Jackson’s stint with the Baltimore Ravens didn’t last long. He was waived today after playing just 11 games with Baltimore after signing a one-year $1.5 million deal in July.

Jackson didn’t see a massive role in 2024, with just five appearances and two starts for nine total tackles. The Former Alabama standout spent the first seven years of his career in Chicago, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro in 2019. He was also named one of the 100 greatest Bears of all time.

There will certainly be a team out there interested in Jackson’s services, with the playoffs starting in just a few weeks The Ravens could always sign him to the practice squad, but I’d imagine Jackson wants an opportunity to see the field.

The Ravens will take on the Charges on Monday Night Football this week.

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ESPN projects Ravens RB Derrick Henry to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award

Derrick Henry named Offensive Player of the Year by ESPN’s midseason awards.

We are halfway through the 2024 season, and the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same as Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry continues to obliterate NFL defenses.

Through 10 games this season, Henry has carried the rock 184 times for 1,120 yards, which is good for a staggering 6.08 yards per carry. The former ‘Bama bruiser has also found the endzone in each of his first ten games after coming over from Tennessee this off-season. Baltimore currently stands alone atop the AFC North standings and Henry feels like he may be that missing piece to help get Lamar and Harbaugh past Patrick Mahomes in the postseason.

With nine more weeks left in the NFL regular season, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell hands out his midseason awards picks: Best players, rookies, coaches. Barnwell projects Baltimore’s new feature back to be named as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year saying, 

“As it stands, Baltimore has found an excellent balance of relying on Henry in key moments and letting him rest his legs, which has certainly helped after years of massive workloads in Tennessee. He has played only 55% of the offensive snaps this season, which makes it even more preposterous that he’s leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage.

If Henry can keep this up, it will be one of the greatest running back seasons we’ve ever seen. Another Offensive Player of the Year award would put Henry into rarefied company; every player who has won at least two OPOY awards is either already in the Hall of Fame or is a lock to make it once he’s eligible.”

Barnwell also expects Henry’s backfield mate, Jackson, to bring home his third MVP award.

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Green Bay Packers’ Xavier McKinney named NFC Defensive Player of the Month

Former Alabama safety Xavier McKinney named Defensive Player of the Month in the NFC.

The Green Bay Packers quietly landed one of the best free agents this off-season in former Alabama Crimson Tide Safety Xavier McKinney. McKinney spent the first four years of his professional career with the New York Giants after being selected No. 36 overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Over his four years with the Giants, McKinney was incredibly productive and was just one of two defenders in 2023 not to miss a snap all season, so losing him this off-season was a massive blow. The Packers signed him to a four-year $67 million deal this off-season, and so far, they have gotten their money’s worth.

McKinney has continued to ball out as he was just recognized as the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Month for October. Through eight games, McKinney has posted a staggering 36 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and six interceptions and appears to be on his way to a Pro Bowl selection.

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Houston Texans’ Will Anderson named AFC Defensive Player of the Month

Former Alabama LB Will Anderson Jr. named Defensive Player of the Month in the AFC.

DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans’ decision to trade back up to the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft to select former Alabama LB Will Anderson gets better each week. Anderson has been a wrecking force since he got to the league a season ago and was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2023.

So far, Anderson has picked up right where he left off last year with 27 total tackles, 7.5 sacks and one fumble recovery through nine games. As a result, Anderson was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October. Ryans, an Alabama alum as well, has been the perfect defensive mentor for Anderson and it appears as if the two will be together in Houston for some time.

When people want to discuss who the best defensive player of the Nick Saban era was at Alabama, Anderson has certainly made an impressive case for himself. The former two-time Nagurski winner and two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year is looking at a Pro Bowl selection and maybe even All-Pro consideration if he continues to play at this level.

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Alabama featured heavily among NFL stat leaders though Week 8

Alabama has multiple league leaders through the NFL’s first eight weeks.

With the 2024 NFL season now through Week 8, the Alabama Crimson Tide have been represented well at the professional level so far this year.

In fact, when taking a look at the stat leaders across the league through eight weeks alone, then this thought becomes even more clear at just how good some Alabama players in the NFL have been so far this season.

Starting with passing, this might be Alabama’s weakest statistical category, as no former Crimson Tide player ranks within the Top 10. No school has more than one quarterback in the NFL’s Top 10 leading passers currently as well.

Alabama also does not have a wide receiver in the Top 10 of receiving yards, as well as a defender among the same in total tackles.

As for rushing, Alabama has the NFL’s leading rusher by far in Baltimore Ravens star Derrick Henry at 946 yards through eight games, as well as the No. 4 name on that list in Green Bay Packers standout Josh Jacobs. Both of Najee Harris and Jahmyr Gibbs sit at No. 6-7 as well, meaning that Alabama has four of the Top 10, the most of any program.

Alabama also has one of the NFL’s sack leaders in Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans, who is tied for third in the league with 7.5 so far this year. The Crimson Tide also have one player in the Top 10 in field goals made in Will Reichard with 14 where he is tied for ninth.

Lastly, Alabama features heavily in the league’s interception leaders similar to the rushing list, placing four within the Top 10 headlined by the NFL’s INT leader in Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney with six. Marlon Humphrey and Brian Branch are tied for third in the NFL with four total, while Pat Surtain II is tied for fifth with three.

Will names such as Henry and McKinney end up leading the NFL in those respective stats later this season, and will any other Alabama players join them?

Former star Alabama offensive tackle traded to different NFL team

The former Alabama standout is on the move.

Since being drafted into the league back in 2017, former Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Cam Robinson has spent his entire NFL career as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars organization.

Well, Robinson is now reportedly on the move for the first time in his NFL career, as the veteran offensive tackle was traded to the Minnesota Vikings from Jacksonville on Tuesday night.

A former second round pick by Jacksonville in the 2017 NFL draft, Robinson has started a combined 91 games at left tackle for the Jaguars since. Over that span, Robinson has also started double-digit games in five of his eight years in the league.

Prior to his time in the NFL, Robinson was a three-year starter at left tackle for Alabama from 2014-16, winning one national championship during his time with the program. Over that span, Robinson received numerous honors on both a SEC and national level, and left Tuscaloosa as one of the greatest offensive tackles to play at Alabama under Nick Saban.

Robinson now joins Dallas Turner and Will Reichard as former Alabama players who are now on the Vikings.

Two former Alabama QBs expected to return to NFL starting lineups this week

Tua Tagovailoa and Bryce Young both expected to start this week.

So far, the 2024 NFL season has been a struggle for former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterbacks. Tua Tagovailoa suffered a brutal Week 2 concussion, Bryce Young was benched after Week 2, Jalen Hurts has struggled quite a bit and Mac Jones is in a backup role on a 2-5 Jacksonville team.

However, things are starting to turn around for Tagovailoa and Young, who are both expected to return to their starting lineups this week.

Tagovailoa completed the NFL’s concussion protocol on Friday, and neurological experts have told him he’s not risking further damage by playing. The Dolphins are in dire need of his return as they are 1-3 without him this year. Miami hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

As for Young, he returns to the lineup due to an injury Andy Dalton suffered in a car accident. With the Panthers firmly out of the Playoff race, it makes all of the sense in the world to give Young the reins and let him learn in the fire. Carolina travels out West to take on the Broncos this weekend.

Who knows, the way things are going for the Jaguars, Jones may get a chance before the season is over.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.