Derrick Henry Ready to win in Baltimore w/ Lamar, NFL legacy, Alabama’s best & RB future |The Pivot

what up dog you about to look very little what's up trying to run down the pipe to tackle that what's up baby you good and Fred's a big man bro bro that d i just show him the photo it was September 28th 2012 y towering over your ass Julie versus glaze day my son KT that was KT's birthday and he had just got the uh State Russian record EMT sent him a ball and all of that so he's excited I get to go up against derck Henry they say he the best I think I'm the best who's going to go to what school he had 360 on 30 something carries and six touchdowns KT had like 222 on 30 something touchdowns they blew him out 42 to6 KT was hot he was hot man it's been a while it's been a while got my people feeling militant way I'm feeling get me up on the mission get me up L me I got the key only Vision I can trust trust Limitless n to pining it I here to witness [Music] it man welcome to the pivot man congratulations too BR appreciate it bro congratulations to you man Freddy T Chan I'm RC bro we've been trying to get it done I know for a long time it took him to not be a Tennessee Titan anymore to actually um to actually want to do it man it was Freddy T talking about your high school stats and you know things that you were able to do your high school was actually poo before you went there though yeah we we wasn't good and then it wasn't um cuz I think it first opened in like I want to say like 06 probably maybe ' 08 uh one of my big cousins was the first class to to graduate from the high school so it was it was like fairly new kind of right so you know it was just on the up and up so they didn't really have you know much people cuz usually like people from my hometown like my dad growing up and my aunts and cousins they went to F the beach was across the bridge cuz we didn't have a high school and then they built one in um in in ' 08 and I was kind of siding cuz I had a cousin that went to BS and he W State and I was like I want to do what he did he play he played running back so I was going back and forth then I got the bows and I took that test to be able to see I can get in I was like no I'm GNA go to J I'm stre like you would drive from Uli to to Jacksonville to go to bowl well yeah I was going to do that cuz my cousin did that his dad used to take him from uh from Uli to B's uh his whole High School career and then um once he went there and he did what he did I always go to his games they went in state one state and know he went off to college I was like man I want to do the same thing cuz he used to have us running on the beach doing all type of stuff uh we was jits we was little so whenever I got a chance to go play when I got got to high school I was like I might want to try out and see if I can see if I can make it but when they gave me that test I was like no I'm going stay home how far was that ride that's probably like a 25 minute ride yeah every single day every single day 30 30 both ways every single day every single y had to make that because you wanted to make it like that that that was the path to make it yeah my cousin when he when he started going to his dad to take him and then once he you know uh got acquainted and started going to school teammates uh classmates I think some of them used to come pick him up and like he stay the night at one of their houses and then um didn't go to school but yeah we they they used to make that ride also too I I didn't introduce you I should have said former offensive player of the year second alltime Tennessee Titans rushing leader greatest running back of this era and now Baltimore Raven about that Derk Henry I do want to start uh the big news or the big thing out of the first press conference was obviously the purple suit mhm you know and you mentioned that it was your grandmother's favorite color you hadn't warn it since she passed in 2016 you also mentioned seeing a butterfly for the first time in Dallas crazy you know and your your grandmother also loved butterflies you know that story has been told the story I'm more interested in because Fred talks about his grandmother all the time as well why was being able to to represent your grandmother on that day of such a transition and have something so familiar to hold close important to you because of what she was to you we were going back and forth on the phone with the Ravens and um we finally came to agreement they were like uh can you come out like the next day and do a pre press conference on Thursday I'm like oh man I thought it was going to be like a week but I I forgot that free agency was like that Wednesday so then um the Raven purple I'm like oh I got the perfect suit I can wear cuz they want to wear a suit I was I got the perfect suit I can wear I to my grandmother's funeral but we in the process of moving we just bought a new house we about to move to a new house everything in boxes and it had some stuff in storage just cuz so our house wasn't crowded until we moved to the new house I'm like I got to find that suit I don't know where it's it's in storage but I got to I got to figure how to find it in storage so whenever I we we figured out we got everything playing um I went to my storage and I'm moving everything out the way trying to find it moving stuff the story look crazy right now it was organized but now it's crazy but I was able to find it and um uh I wanted to wear it to honor her cuz I can always remember sitting on her porch cuz that's what we used to do in the morning time whenever she' get up like 6 o'clock in the morning have her coffee and I ask questions about my dad all my cousins everybody who was raised in that house um how they all were brought up I asked her one day I was like I was like what's girl like Grandma what's your favorite color she was like violet Violet purple so I knew I was going to be a raven that purple I was like it's a perfect match and um I was happy that I was still able to f fit it it fit pretty right it was still a little tight when I put it on but um I just feel like it was a a cool story and a cool connection being able to play on the team that has purple and that was her favorite color so I just wanted to you know honor her by telling that story and then the butterfly situation I mean that's it's a true story I mean we were um outside my daughter like playing outside in the yard and we just sitting there we just sitting there chilling I had a game on on the TV on the back patio she wanted to kick the soccer ball and I was kicking the soccer ball and I just St and I was watching her run and out of nowhere butterfly just start flying all around me we ain't seen no butterflies around there at all since I've been living there but like I said in Tennessee every practice I would see a butterfly anytime we out to practice I'll see one fly and I told my coaches then they start paying attention to it and we'll see one every practice but that particular moment you know right before free agency started you know cuz it can get a little HEC there you know you get kind of you can get kind of overwhelmed cuz you don't know what's going to happen how long it's going to take or where you going to end up but once I seen that butterfly like man I'm good ain't no reason me overreacting ain't no reason me worried about nothing cuz where I'm supposed to be I'll be and she would just a remind of that like everybody knows what you do bro like you came in with the cut off sleeves and all we know you a big ass dude but why why was Baltimore the place because there were all the teams who want you to run the ball M for them yeah why did you choose Baltimore when we did the pressor like uh Eric D Costa said they actually tried to trade for me like during the season when the uh tra deadline was going on and during the whole process you know I was just waiting I'm seeing rumors like just seeing there all all type of stuff going on so I'm like I don't know what's going to happen so I'm telling my girl I'm like I could possibly be traded the next week next couple of days cuz they had traded Uh Kevin B I'm like know be out here they trade K me they going to [ __ ] me out and I was talking to my agent you know they really sound interested like they really want me to come there and come in trying to make an impact so I'm like okay cool like it feel like it was it was genuine it really wanted me so but when it fell through you know um and I end up finishing the season and then free agency started I was like you mean they going to be number one tomorrow on my radar cuz you know they been showing love since they trade that line and I knew once um free agency started that you know I want to work something out if we could even though I'm living in Dallas and I talked to you about it you know Dallas been a perfect situation as well cuz we live there we ain't got to move but at the same time you know Ravens the history of it and then um talking to Ray at the Pro Bowl just like know his passion about the organization his impact there and you know how he talk about it I was just like man that's somewhere if I'm not in Tennessee or I don't get to go to Dallas ID love to be a raven and um I'm glad it worked out I mean Lamar that's no question yum y yum yum we talked about it last night bro that that [ __ ] when you going across bro come on now say flowers um he had a great year we know what Mark Andrews bring off ofing line solid I mean they lost a couple guys but I'm sure they'll you know find some guys in free agency or draft people or the people that the players already have that to fill in and then um 42 big big Pat know we we we had them on film we h l we high like him we watch before to play him so I'm excited to uh you know be playing with him as well he'll Beast you know hey that back field is going to have him and a 300 lb fullback in Patrick car that's going to be like I don't want make you weigh too much how much you weigh like right now I'm probably like 250 550 yards in the back field 250c but it's a no brand cuz like even um like when I was in Tennessee and we was doing we was doing I always be like like who the number one team who the one rushing team in the league in Baltimore I'm like goly so we can never get over that hump so I'm like for me to be be able to join that it's like a no-brainer like feel me that's what that's what they do that's the that's the bread and butter so you know going to be adding pece to it and you know see where it take us but was Dallas ever like really in the in the heavy thick of the mix or you decided not to go because you weren't going to get 22 no they they a ain't holl at me at all for real that was the RoR that was a big rumor then they got well much like uh Mike did for uh cidi I believe EMT would have unretired 22 you know and and giving it to someone like you said you're a Florida boy all that other good stuff that come with it uh I think it would it would been crazy to see you in the Dallas uniform yeah it would have been crazy I mean I thought you know it have been some type of reach out some type of you feel me talks of of whatever but they they never reached out you know what I'm saying I don't really know I don't know too much about the organization you know all all I know is what is what I hear and know just talking to my agent they weren't really interested which you know I was just like it is what it is like I like I said earlier I'm going to be where I meant to be and I feel like baltim was the perfect spot for me so let's let's go back to Florida real quick I mentioned youie population like 14,000 um how did your early childhood and you know your family how did that shape your football experience and your life experience yeah I was talking to somebody the other day I ow my family a lot really because growing up I Ain never have a job and I ain't really need to have one cuz I was always in sports it was football season I was doing football it was baseball I doing baseball basketball and then and then for so on and if my my grandmother had 14 kids 12 girls two boys my dad was the last kid and the last boy she nicknamed me shocka cuz she was shocked that my dad was having a baby at the age of 16 and he he was so young my mom was 16 as well so all my aunts um my dad's sisters um his older cousins they all played a big part in my life by making sure I had everything I needed never had to want for anything we ain't have much but what we had you know we work hard for and that's what I always you know fall back on whenever it's hard times cuz I see my aunts my mom my dad my grandmother do it for for so long and you know usually a small town so you know if I needed a ride anywhere you know it was somebody right there at uh you know what I'm saying at each each corner so um yeah man my um my family's played a big part of you know my success and you know me playing sports and fall loveing football and all the sex I had to be focused on that and not to worry about nothing else your daddy was wide open D got locked up 20 times you know what I'm saying so that's the thing and you and your brothers and sisters their parents their moms or whatever like what was that like dealing with that and then now being a star being who you are tell the story of what that was what that felt like yeah young and then now being the star and having to deal with it I was a Grandma's Boy coming out the womb so uh my daddy's always get on to me anything that we did together I tell my grandma he like man stop telling your grandma everything but I was a Grandma's Boy so that's so that's what it was but my dad is a a a big part of me playing football cuz any anything I wanted to play he was going to pay for any game I had he was coming to never really missed any game but me growing up no matter what he had going on and at the time you know I didn't understand but my dad was just trying to do everything he can to survive and provide for his kids and provide for me but I tell you one thing any game any part one game any the baseball game he was there he signed me up he was always in my life and you know I appreciate my dad for everything cuz anytime my mind are waver anyway when I got to college he was like man you can do what you want to do you can do it you still got time and you know no matter what what go on you know just fall back on what you what you know is working hard and then eventually everything can happen for you when you a kid you don't really understand what's going on you don't really know the whole Logistics of it but at the same time I knew my Dad loved me I know my dad would do anything for me and know now being older now he was just hustling and trying to make ends meet to provide for what he need to provide for Derek as a as a father now and you know you became a father when you were established you you had a job you understood different things you ever think about how hard it had to be for your parents being teenagers and having a child so young definitely cuz you know once I got that age M I'll be like you not don't don't do with me and your dad did you know you know it was I know you know everything worked out but it was hard you know and um we had a lot of we was blessed cuz I had aunts my my grandmother stepped up to help to help to help raise me so you know they always told me to be careful the older I got and then when I move on to college just you know be smart make the right decisions and be around the right people and you know now now having a child now and being at age of 26 have my first one and being able to have money and be able to provide it's still hard so that's always tell people like back in the days you know we you think life hard now but look at back then they really have much but made made worth of what they what they had and still provided and you know not even knowing how much our family was struggling or what they was going through they always made sure we was okay no matter what and you know I always tell uh anybody my homeboy or my my girl my anybody I'm close with like you know just look what your family did to get you to this point you know it was never easy so anytime a a adverse situation present itself sh just get through it you know what I'm saying what don't what don't break her you know make it so when you're a big time star you know you break the Russian record in Florida which is extremely difficult in the sense that all the different stars that come from that state you go for 2500 2500 2500 some kind of way 4,000 as as a senior I L I looked at the carries bro did you watch the video I looked at the carries as well though your coach should be in jail bro did you watch the video yeah but they gave him the football 462 times I I caugh I had the ball like 57 times in one game yeah I knew where the ball was going pre we ain't throwing no F bro the thing so crazy is like after games like my coach would be looking crazy he be like you all right like I'm like what you mean he like he like are your body feel good you feel good I'm like yeah coach I'm straight but at the time I'm thinking we winning I'm playing football not thinking how crazy it is as old I get I'm like I carry the ball 57 right what the [ __ ] tripping we was winning but you know what I'm saying yeah like he's like w't tackle him 50 times hey we going to switch it up we going to go Derek right twice for a lot of reasons crazy for a lot of reasons too you you look at you know you you you hear things now that teams are saying why some team were kind of skittish and hesitant maybe even the Cowboys I don't know for sure but you know they're questioning you know the amount of carries you had in your lifetime not just the NFL but in high school like RC mentioned in college then in the NFL what you've done you know um 500 yards away from 10,000 so I definitely shoot you a text when you cross that to the club I'll go ahead and give you love on that but those are the questions and you said in your your press conference just just watch the show know just check it out like I'm I'm going to be here is that motivation for you to go from one organization to the next and prove people that you still are the Heisman Trophy winner Mr 2,000 yard Mr Player of the Year just a couple years ago is that like just additional motivation you still got it I love it and uh and I embrace it just because of the the area of football we in now it's not like the big backs it's not you you know running back you know dependent like it used to be like when y'all came up and you know y'all were y'all were killing the league and it was just like like running back after running back and I was always a big running back fan so I watch every single one of y' I grew up watching you being down the street so I embrace it because I know people are just waiting to see when is when it's going to be over like when um you know what I'm saying not going to be as dominant as I was to have the effect that I have but just turned 30 yeah I know what I'm saying so yeah I mean I love it and like I told him I was like this just keep watching cuz I'm going to keep working as long as I can do this I'm going keep doing it you know what I'm saying I mean like even coming out of high school you know they thought I was going to play running back in in college I was going to go to defense which go thought say he thought about defense but I was be like hell no was going to do it and then coming out of uh coming out of college they didn't think I was going to make it long G League I was going to be a bus thought I was going to be a fullback and not have a have an effect in the league once I got here and you know I've been still trying to prove myself you know ever since I I stepped in the league and that's the thing about it is like it don't matter what you did a year before you still got to prove that [ __ ] again and that's and that's what I love about and it's a new challenge and I'm going to embrace it I'm going to work hard and then see what happened in September like I said 3,000 yards away from top 10 all time go get it yes sir that's crazy that's crazy to say well you born too late cuz I'm talking about leanian when we play leanian Fred was a dog and all that like when people leaned on the Run game you know what I'm saying like your big ass bro you big as hell like I don't want to hit your ass uh AP played AP different dudes like that like if you were born 10 years before would you be better than like would you be more respected than you are now because running backs ain't respected like that but for you to do what you're doing now you're trying you're almost trying to bring that old school [ __ ] back and that's so crazy because whenever I was uh coming out of high school and people was talking about position switch cuz how big I was and you know um I'll be more effective on the defensive side but I always fell back on watching LT watching Freddy T watching Ricky Williams watching edin James watching AP uh watching priest home Jamal Lewis start watching NFL Network as a kid got to see Eric Dickinson and see he was kind of the same size uh see Errol kiml run through people Eddie George watching the Titans and uh the Jaguars battle throughout them years um and I can go on and on cuz I I watch every back so whenever people would tell me I need to switch I would fall back on that I'm like man I'm want to be like them cuz that's what I fell in love with since the kid so I was like ain't nobody going to sway me from playing running back that's what I want to do and I I'm going be successful at it I just want to correct Channing really quick not all running backs are respected he's certainly respected and Fe beard on the field in the in the front office that's where the disrespect is by some coaching staff trying to create his by committee approach that kind of disrespect the position but what Derek brings to the table he's still phenomenal he's still going to make you put eight sometimes nine in the box so in terms of respect he still gets his respect on the field and I think he's going to prove to everybody that deserves that football but football wise you got to throw 35 up now you can't win no game at bro but let me say some real [ __ ] though but if I ever have a son my son ain't playing running back though you feel me like you know we want to take a stance for a guys who's already coming up and already uh in rotation to to make it to the league and be able to you know set something up for them so when they come in the league and have opportunity to get paid that they can get paid but as far as my own son no he can't play running back hey D you know you mentioned that though and it brings me to a year ago in the off season when saquan was going through what he was going through Jonathan Taylor was going through things and all of you guys were trying Nick chub you y' all trying to figure out a way to help running backs and sort of have some of those conversations to push the position forward when you look at the way the position is viewed what do you think the answer is or is there no answer and teams are going to continue to disrespect the position I understand you know the whole the whole the whole thing behind it about running backs are replaceable and anybody can feel in the position but I feel like when you got that guy when you got that that generational Talent then I feel like their respect needs to be there because all we seen growing up and coming up on to play the position all of us were inspired by somebody that played the position and we saw whenever they were recognized as a gener generational Talent they got what they were were due and um and we just want the same thing and we know that kids that are looking up to us and we want them to have to see that same thing and keep and continue that but the game is changing but at the end of the day you still got to be able to run the football yeah you still got to be able to run the football and that's what gets the offense going that's what open up that's what opens up everything and I feel like Christian's done a great job by doing that this year sequan got paid um Josh got paid this year and I feel like teams like they want to go away from it but they still know you need a dog in that back field to be able to have explosive offense and and and do what you want to do so I was happy for them to see to get their share do but at the same time we just want our respect and I feel like that's all we was trying to do last year when we was talking about it and putting light on it yeah it's just a leverage game simple mathematics uh going back to college you were in Jacksonville you say you watching me play you know I went to Florida yeah why not you have what what what uh influenced your decision to go to Bama first and then I want to also talk about Nick's Haven at some point yeah sh I was Florida FL growing up and like whenever I came out of high school it was just like once once once Urban once Urban left and then whenever I was uh coming out of high school Urban had left CU they started recruiting me for a little bit he end up leaving and then mus Champs took over yeah and Dan Quinn was uh recruiting me and um you know the whole recruit process was smooth you know I was rocking with Dan Quinn he was he was cool as hell and I was uh I was visiting uh Florida a lot and Charlie Weiss was the office coordinator um at the time too but I don't know and then I was visiting Georgia and I was visiting uh Bama and I was visiting Tennessee and I don't know it was just like I don't know it just ain't feel like the the foundation was laid and it was like set and it a feel feel consistent which I still stayed in contact with them throughout the process but I was just like I'm going see what else is out there I end up committing to Georgia my my junior year cuz at the time I think was like me uh John Theus at the time who played tackle at uh offensive tackle at bows Bryce Ramsey who was a a quarterback um at Canon County he he was a quarterback there and then uh tral Terry I knew him from going to football camps Nike camps me him got close and it was uh Trey Matthews safety we was all there and we all we all committed really at at the same time so I was like man I'm going to be straight I got my dogs like we we going have a squad and I was uh and I was visiting there a lot and then um I was at Tennessee a lot too I visit Tennessee so I really want to play in the SEC if y'all can see so I want to play you know when I we watching games I'm like damn B boy they they run it run they running through people like they they going crazy and they was just like you could just see the take over was happening like Co s was getting dogs and them Bo was just just balling and then watching T Rich being from Florida being from Pensacola I was like damn he from Florida he doing that like you know sometimes you like should I go too far away from home but like once I see him doing that I'm like man I I don't know and then I end up decommitting from Georgia uh my senior year and open my recruitment back up and then after that it was just like I'm I'm going to B cuz Co coach s came to see me like my freshman year in high school and then um you know so he was recruiting me for for a long time so whenever I committed to Georgia he was like man I didn't came to came to see you I've been St connected with you like what what's what's going on I'm like I'm like coach I just what I want to do but we end up you know we still uh stayed in contact and I end did committing and I did official visit to B and um Tennessee and end up decid a question about that though right I was wasn't recruited like y'all but you were committed to Georgia you end up going to B and you get to Bama and you're festar leading rusher of all time in high school football but like you don't get there and become the guy and you got homesick yeah was there ever a time or how difficult was that time for you as a freshman in Alabama and what made you stay yeah you know it's so funny is we were talking about the carries 57 carries and all that and really going to B was like my first time really having adversity in football so like being young not really understanding what's what's really going on like Co like coach sa say the process so I wasn't really like I didn't really understand all I knew was like hey give me the ball let me get busy and then you feel me that's that's that's how it always was at UL so when I got the Bama it was just like I don't know it's like a an adjustment cuz they don't care five star two star three star you can get opportunity and like I was just like I just thought everything supposed to go like like it wasn't usually like I'm going get the ball I'm a start and not really understanding the fundamentals of the game like got to study let it translate from the meetings to to the field know the ins and out of the game not just running the ball pass protection knowing defenses and and and doing all that really being locked in cuz I thought just football you go home have fun come back and do all that but it's it's more to it it's a job and that's how you got to approach it cuz coab run he was running the program just like the NFL and it took me a little while to to to understand that but once you know I got a grip of it then I was like okay okay I got it cuz my uh running back coach coach Burns he was patient with me cuz I was Louis yeah yeah he helped me a lot man and um you know that's that's my dog man that's like that's did your family any part in you staying because I know like when I was in school my first real time of having adversity was I got hurt in training camp and so the first away game they didn't take me you know what I mean so like I've been telling girls the whole summer I play football you know what I mean and it's the it's the first away game I'm on campus with them you know what I mean I remember calling my mom I had to use a calling card you know cuz we have cell phon stuff I Ed the calling card I remember calling my mom and just being like Mom like I like I don't know like I rather just go to two lane at least they going to leave me on campus I could get home was there any time you talked to your family where they had to help you through that cuz you mentioned just how close you guys were how everybody pitched in to make sure you were good yeah it's so funny uh I'm pick it back off I talking about Coach Burns he came and send me in high school you know at the time I was know T Rich was going crazy at Bama so I wanted to have a question about every running back and uh in high school like I always get pulled out of class and every time I got pulled out class like oh it's a college here so I'm good I ain't got to worry about I'm good so he he came and visit me with and I always do my visit with coaches in my uh my head coach office back in high school and we talked for like hours and I was just like ask about t Rich asking about Mark Ingram Eddie Lacy and um once I got there I was like oh yeah I'm I'm F to soon as I get there on campus I end end up graduating high school early and enroll early so I'm like oh yeah I'm going to be starting I think I'm so when I got into practice I'm getting poow I'm like why why a like uh Trent why like Mar what's going on like you it was hard for me to understand but like as the season went on and know us finally in the program cuz I got there with Alvin man Alvin came in the same time Al 10 Penney who end up uh passing away uh uh my my last year at Bama like October and Tyron Jones I came there Ruben Foster so we had we had a deep class and TJ was already there uh Kenyan Drake was already there um Justin F was already there so we was deep like we had like eight running backs I whole the whole the whole room was deep with seats and then when we got out to practice you Happ you get a rep or where you at in the depth chart you might not get no reps a matter of me understanding that like in verse situations it's not about like it's not about making excuses it's about how you get through it so my family really just let let me handle it on my own I would call and complain event but like you ain't coming home so I don't know what you what you thinking but at the time I was was like like how these kids do now they go to one school and leave I was really thinking about going to Florida State it really came I I I was almost close to to leaving going to Florida State but me and Co had to talk and then I eventually end up staying and everything everything worked out what did he say to you when y'all had that conversation he was like it's a process like he was like you come from um a small town uh being in high school you the man you know and you were like Superman you know for your team and it's more to football than just handing you the ball and tearing telling Derek just go go score you know you got to know the fundamentals about the game you know um and it's just it's just more to it and then just handing you the ball and letting you run and I ain't really understand that cuz all I watching football all I want to see is you run the ball or somebody else run the ball not understanding in the outs of the game so it took me a little time to you know go through the whole process and really understand and really get a grips of everything and um you know and what I need to do to get better honestly cuz I thought I my [ __ ] didn't stink and that [ __ ] was taking up the whole godamn spot I appreciate that cuz it helped me grow a lot and U we had a final conversation about everything cuz I was still in decisive it was like the uh the the night before we play uh Oklahoma in the in the sugar bowls my freshman year and Co s was like cuz that that that whole week before we we was practicing Tuscaloosa then we came to New Orleans I was like going in with the ones so my my eyes got big I'm like damn I'm going to play I'm going to play so I didn't really know I thought he would just like prep for me you know for the near future and then he set me down he was like Hey you know I need to know are you staying or you leaving it's like if you stay you going to play if not then I I mean I mean there's nothing I can do is out of my hands and I was like [ __ ] you can play me I'm G stay he was like all right and then I end up playing and I think I had like 10 and something yards like some carries and I had like a 62 yard reception and end up having a great game and then the rest was I was straight there I was like I'm stand hey D I just speaking on San he drafted me to the Dolphins I I think I I remember him something about you heard so he grafted me to the Dolphins I played he was LSU I went crazy when LS LSU won the National Championship that year but they were 12-1 Floyd end up beating them and I went nuts in the game I I baled out that was Skyler what's his name Skyla something some little bit Sky green that little damn Return Man he hit one so we did that so saving end up letting me know like bro I drafted you because of this game that's crazy and he called me Gator he didn't say he he never said Channing or Crowder for two years he called me Gator because of the fact of that game right and like speaking about Sav I try to explain to people how Sav is the thing that the trigger that I know when I was with sa right we had we had a bathroom in the dog facility that was like a little little duck off bathroom where all the veg know you can go in there and play on your phone and Tech your little girlfriends and all but if if if the door opens and you look under the door and you see little white legs you know as a coach and you leave if you see big black legs you know as a player and you stay in there and keep playing on your phone that was the rule so there no little white Le players or big little white play man that that [ __ ] punter better kiss my ass so I looked under I I looked under the store one day bro and I saw a little white legs with those uh what what what's the Nike Monarch Nike Monarch Nike monarcho so I look under the door bro I saw little Nike monarchs so I finished texting put it in my pocket watch there was savings sitting there and the bathroom was tight so I'm washing my hands and I'm looking over at savings right there next to me and I I got to say something to him I got to say something to the head coach of the team I'm playing on bro so I was like he always talks about Terry Terry sa wife and Terry Miss Terry Miss Terry so miss Terry made us some cook the year before and she ain't put enough sugar in them [ __ ] them that were starchy cookies but I I a say nothing about that but I'm like if you ask a man about his wife he's going to say she's fine so I'm washing my hands sav's right there I'm washing my hands I look over and I say hey coach how how's Terry bro you know what his answer was sure be a lot better if you cover a [ __ ] back on third down the we before I gave up a third and six to a back out the back field and he got a first down and they ain't even scoring this drive but when that [ __ ] looked at me the only thing in his mind was this [ __ ] gave up a third down this [ __ ] gave up a first down on third down that's how he is bro hey how you doing hey how's Terry coach she'll be a lot better if you cover a [ __ ] back on third down and that's how his mind works I would that's my story I would to ask you like as people they're so in Amor with Nick Sav like what's what's it like playing for Nick Savin like what what what you have a story you have something like that Nick Savin because that's what I remember every time people ask me about Nick sa that b documentary whenever they do it that going to be crazy that b going to be crazy I'm telling you it's going to be crazy it just it's different now cuz like the logistics of the nil and I think that's why I I I eventually figured a coach probably get out and and retire cuz how how it's going out it's so crazy but like whenever I was at BMA how we was at BMA [ __ ] was hard that [ __ ] was hard like I be see it's so funny cuz like like through the years after I left we'll call each other to be like them boys don't have on like Jordan sleeves and Nike bands Dam wearing that was there bro we had to wear compression sleeves you know compression sleeve you put on your leg you hurt it to make it look like like have some swag have some drip on the field compressing seve you couldn't wear none of that he wasn't he wasn't having none of that and if you did wear that sh he'll call it wh about the graveyard you know what I mean fake yeah yeah like you acting like you ready but you really but you really scared he'll call that so he he like if you wore that on pregame say up man take that off you don't need to wear all that that's just how he was and B was hard man from like the four quarter program we'll be out there like you trace the rabbit so whoever the rabbit you know who soon as you take off you got to you got to get up to him if you ain't catch him say hey start it over we like oh man my freshman year man we had ran uh we had did the four four quarter program I ain't know I'm a freshman so I'm trying to get I'm trying to get it I'm trying to make my mark and I'm out there running full speed going crazy everybody like man slow down man got ass and like that as I got older Tony Brown uh we was doing Chase of RPP he was a freshman we got to chase I'm like Tony bro do not take off when we get to this cone I said Tony don't take off when you get to this cone man we jogging Tony got to that cone well we like we we we dog tired Co been seen that I'm like oh man start it over you you you he going in you already you already know how he is but um but that's just like a a Funny Story I mean we got we got plenty stories I I'll tell you a funny one one time we was in um we was in the meetings you know cuz s he old school couldn't stand if anybody scored and um and wanted to celebrate afterwards so we in the meeting one day after the game forgot who we played and he pulling up uh he pulling up film he's showing everybody then he he talking about and you guys you stop doing all that showboating doing all that uh prayer hands and uh act like you thanking God and then later on that night 12:00 you down there got black and mouth got liquor you chasing like like get all that we cry we could do nothing laugh you right first here you get on one knee then 12:00 12:00 comes you down there smoking black and Bs on the corner dring drinking liquor smok all [ __ ] Jason girl that likeo he was tired of y'all he he was tired of us bro we started the whole thing off by your decision to go to Alabama yeah and you spoke about consistency Florida didn't have that yeah with just coaching staff that came in they didn't have a foundation what you got out of Bama which was the great the perfect uh uh decision the best decision you got consistency and you got a foundation from the guy you just was talking about go saav he was always consistent that's what made him great were you surprised when he announced his retirement because lately he's been talking about well it's the the the the way the nil has taken over the sport and things have changed that's not consistent that's not what he's used to yeah and for him to make that statement say look I can't do this no more because all these young guys all they think about is getting paid they don't think about their development that's what he helped you do develop and all your other teammates were you surprised when he decided to announce his retirement I was surprised just cuz I always see coach s going out on top like win national championship and when they lost to uh Michigan I mean I was like he probably I fig he'll come back cuz he been coaching for so long and the stories we've been telling just sound like yeah that's what I'm saying he that's what I'm saying so like all he know is football and I can't see him doing nothing else which I know Co like like to golf but that's that's that's going back to when we were there like it was just like how he ran his program I knew eventually that it it'll take his course cuz like how the NL nil you know all that work and these kids like they they trying to get paid which I ain't mad at cuz like yeah what yall playing whenever the nio was you know what I'm saying you know what I'm saying in rotation and [ __ ] we would yeah you know what I'm saying doing doing the same thing it's just the way that Co run his program he wants you to be able to if it's not going the way you want it to go he want to see you work work for it work through adversity get through it and then you know see what's on the other end of you being successful cuz like you know a lot of these guys getting paid and making this money they expecting to come in and play know they they got paid so they expecting to come in and play and if it don't go way they like we going somewhere else right and coz he old school so he ain't really he ain't really used to that and like some of the question these kids asking is like how much can you how much you going to give me yeah that's what I'm saying so it's kind of like for a guy who's been around you you you you it's like with me like it's it's just a different different thing to get used to a different era it's an era of football really in college football but at the same time you can't get mad at the Players cuz like you know this opportunity is once in a lifetime and this is life changing for their families and you know um you know for them as well but at the same time it still has some still got to have some Integrity for the game you know rather than just quitting and going somewhere else cuz it cuz it didn't work out and I think that's the thing coach s struggled with is like where the interrogate of the game at yeah you going to get paid but are you going are you going to work for it are you going to go out there and earn it rather than just wanting to check and then be happy with whatever result you get and then if it don't go move on to the next thing he mentioned the consistency of Alabama under coach Sabin it's not not only been consistent it's been a level of Excellence that is unmatched in the history of college football and especially at your position Mark Ingram winning the Heisman youve won the Heisman all the firstr draft picks from the position you broke Sean Alexander's Alabama rushing record and you've now broken Shan Alexander's alab Alabama NFL rushing record so my question to you is are you the best running back that played at Alabama this I can answer that um um I no I I wouldn't say I just feel like I made my mark when I had the opportunity because when I came in um you know I didn't play my first year and then my second year it wasn't I mean it was it was all right like it was I would say it was mediocre I didn't have like a year I had the the next year and I feel like like Sean he laid the foundation for for running backs even Bobby Humphrey is I mean I can go on and on about all about the Alabama running backs and I always say Sean the greatest cuz his body of work and and what he did and he didn't have you know what we had at BMA and you know that whole ERA with Coach Sabin and you know the guys he he brought in and first round picks I mean it's just crazy so I'll always say Sean is the uh is the greatest Alabama running back of all time and Mark is the the best in the S saving era because he started that's who it started off with and you know he the first one to win the Heisman and really you know set it off for the running back so I just say I I made my mark and let the people decide come here here this thank you all this modesty I knew this question will come up at some point and I was like how answer I feel like na na is I feel like Naj is is in our conversation too cuz like do you know why you know if the question was going to come up here's what's never going to happen I'm never going to walk into an interview thinking man how am I going to answer the question am I the greatest stealer you know why cuz ain't nobody ever going to ask me that but when you go in and there's a thought in your head I might be the best running back in Alabama history who the best I'm going to have to answer this question who the best told to rock at Alabama who who y'all think the best who you think the best n we we are the people the number the leading I'm real in the league Derek it's the numbers bro you ain't play but eight years in the league I'm saying like this no no no no not not not with the league included I'm saying College though who y'all think the best running back at Alabama honestly being real for me I I think um when you look at pound-for-pound you look at how how you attack defenses you you guys had a lot lot of great running backs the way I would always kind of view my running backs at Bama you were a big guy I you have the amazing most amazing jump cut like your jump cut so solid I'm glad coach sa did not put you at D and I didn't think he would because of that but I think you my opinion you are the best Bama running back and and and not just being biased from Florida just looking at the skill set a big guy to move like that which is crazy I'm going say this you're the greatest Alabama running back of the modern era that is my full opinion now cutting on the film or sitting at my house as a as a LSU fan the running back from Alabama that I thought was the scariest was Trent Richardson that is my ter when when he ran the ball at Alabama he's a reason why big reason why I went to Bama because of him he was a dog like trp made people like you made people quit like I felt like like I would always say when you ran the ball in college and I said this about Trent first though I was like at some point 18 and 19 year olds are going to get tired of trying to tackle them and you would see it every game right they'd start out and theyd be fired up they might stop yall one or two times and then eventually it' be like okay I've had enough and I thought I thought Trent was the first one I saw do that to LSU for sure and then obviously you came in and did the exact same thing I know we've been talking about Alabama a lot you know but we are here in this place because of who you were in Tennessee um you grabbed the microphone in your last game and you think Tennessee fans for the greatest eight years of your life like I identify with Pittsburgh like that now but I wasn't drafted to Pittsburg I didn't set Records in Pittsburgh I didn't do some of the things that you did in Tennessee how hard was it to come to the realization that your Tennessee Titans career was over yeah it was hard because my last two years we it just didn't didn't go well and then when You' been in organization that long and um you know played a uh a a big role of trying to turn turn it around from the previous years and then going out the year before I think we lost like seven straight and then this year being 6 and 11 know I was playing the back of my mom like dang I'm going out like this like I always pcture the end and better than than what it did cuz what we did in the previous years but we could just never get back to that point and I still had hop that we'll get back to that point but it never just worked out so like in the whole uh aspect of it when I know it was coming to an end and um I did that speech I was like I'm going to speak speak for the heart cuz this could be really be my last know time talking to the fans and you know I still think about that to this day I'm like dang it's like I a't you know you you you don't want to go out like you know somewhere you've been for so long and um you know uh you know you spent your whole whole career there you just wish it was a better A better ending than what it was Derek you know you guys made it to the AFC chip and the thing I remember most about it you were went absolutely crazy that year the thing I remember most was late in the game against Kansas City you on the sideline in the jacket MH right and it's like okay this the best running back at football his team's trying to make it to the Super Bowl and because they're down he's not on the field part of sort of the devaluing of the running back position is that right because that's very similar to leeni and tomson who we had had on the show as well to when LT is in the AFC Championship his knees hurt and he has on the coat he has on the helmet MH how important is it for you now in Baltimore to help Lamar who has been on the cusp as you were John Harbaugh who has already won a championship roquan and that defense how important is it for you in your career to win a championship it's really important and I'm happy I'm going somewhere that they they they hungry they they hungry for it and they r on the cus you know they're always in the conversation and I know Lamar want one really bad so I ain't going to somewhere that like the expectation is just we're going to see what's going to happen let's make the playoffs and try to make some noise no they trying to win it and being so close and um losing that game in Kansas City I know they hungry I know you know they going to come in with the right mindset and let's get to it so I'm I'm ready to come in and be that that that adding peace to it to help spring them forward if if any way possible anywh I can and helping him and you know taking some of the you know I'm saying the pressure off him and in any way and um you know the big thing is being around some dogs so I'm I'm excited for the opportunity and another big reason why I played a big part is the last time the Ravens won the Super Bowl it was in New Orleans and the Super Bowl is in New Orleans this year so hopefully this [ __ ] come full circle so we going to see what's happening I like it bro and and and I know we gonna end I know we got my last one bro I gotta ask because you're a part of all the memes when you be punishing them damn them damn secondary safeties and coroners do you yell like do you yeah whatever when you be like like what what do you think because all the whole I the Run game with you would be to get you on the defensive back cuz they can't tackle your big ass you big as hell when you you break that and see a safety come off the edge like what how does your mind work when it's stiff on like no you're stiff on but like when you when you know the scheme has worked and it's it's a 17b 175b dude coming to tackle you but you know what's so funny is like if the scheme work and I'm in open field 10 on one I'll be looking at the end zone I don't even be like it it it is what it is at that point yeah you little B every time and I st it on TV I already St it on TV he did he get when he get back there by the DBS his whole demeanor change this hum guy this humble guy who sitting here that's who runs when he when he from the the the line of scrimmage to three yards past the line of scrimage once he break that outside the numbers and pass four yards down the field he turned into a whole different person a't no more humility ain't no more I'm just trying to read the hes that's when he foring people punishing y' he punishing you mean like like if I'm like getting through the line of scrimmage like my my mindset is like I'm just trying to get through you know I'm trying to make a I'm just I just want to make a play I want to do the right thing now when he get back there by the DBS he on demon time yeah like now but that's but that's how I set up though the offense though that's how that's how it set up though it's not really like unless it's like a a downhill run where we just like we going to get we going to get what we can and then you know what I'm saying just just keep running down their throats until they they finally tap out but like in the zone scheme it's really about manipulating the defense you feel me like setting your linebackers up set the linebackers up on the offensive lineman cuz sometimes they don't come off and you got to be able to you feel me move make it easy for them to get to get where you want to go but that's what I love about the zone sking I'm like this should be fun cuz like I'm hauling ass and you feel me one cut okay I got question what about what about when he runs up on you what about when you break and he runs up in the hole I win huh in like if we do it quick if I'm the if I'm the eighth man in the see you run up on on Derek he's tackled 100% Ryan we're talking about so you said you said like if I get the ball and we meet right like in the so so Derk Henry Derk Henry in the eye right I'm the eighth I'm the E right he pushing front side right he cuts it back and it's just you can't go nowhere else he got I I Derek Henry is tackled 100% if I cut back right there way yes if you if it's if it's front side and it's me and you me yes Derek who else is in here that play defense under the chair you fighting for your life I'm not fighting for not I can say I can say like if you're like it's a eight man box and you shoot the Gap like we running like we like downhill you got damn you see me that's what I'm talking about he can see me I cut back and this me and you one onone so dere see you you see him coming and he sees you and y'all looking he is tackled 10 out of 10 times the cut back yes unless he like you talking about he just going to run straight this the whole make oh you saying oh okay so you saying you sitting in the hole I'm saying I'm coming you halfway in the back field no what I'm saying is I'm rotating into the box okay you R in the Box der Henry gets the football he can be be FR cut back whatever it back to the if there is a tunnel and it's me and Derk Henry Derrik Henry's tackled 10 out of 10 times let me jump in for two seconds let meum I I give a little credit it depends on like if the whole I don't be nice don't be nice I'm going say it like this and there's video is proof out there Michael Caputo y'all know who that is no it's the it's the safety from Wisconsin when he was at Alabama Mike ran down same scenario in the hole first quarter a minute into the game versus B Mike left that game with a concussion his ass was on the floor sleeping for point for two seconds I see I never said I wasn't going to be sleeping SI no but you played violent but I'm saying like if it was like a it depend I I I would be realistic if it's like the the depending on on like if they moving him off the ball and we got we got feel me one onone me and him if he come down this the hold condense he probably he probably make the tackle thank you if I got a little space to work with be realistic BR you going run you going run the [ __ ] over and one uh real question for you and it goes back to my first question about your grandmother though man because um you towards you know some of the best moments of your life in the end you had to pass notes to your grandmother to communicate y you know cuz she wasn't able to speak and you wrote on those notes and she wrote back just how proud of you she was and you just got an opportunity tell her how much you know you love her but you were in camp Camp I guess when she passed um having her having been so much a part of your life to where you're still talking about her at pressers now when you sign how difficult was that time for you being she was all of your grandmother was all of those things to you as a young man that whole year was was real hard um coming off that year I won the Heisman national champion and then you know I was so hard on myself about not going in the first round cuz I wanted to be like be like be like them and like all the all the great running backs I known have gone in the first round and made a big impact so then when I went the second round I was down to myself and then whenever I got a Tennessee I wasn't starting uh I was behind DeMarco and then it was just like man like I just felt like you know I don't know I was just like real like it was just a a dark time for me and then having her pass I'm just like I was it was it was bad it was bad for me I was in a I was in a bad place and um and it was just a a a rough time and I remember the uh the day she passed my grandma when I was little it's always pinched me always always pinched me that just her thing and the day she passed I mean I was I was uh me my girl was asleep and I'm sleeping in the bed and I'm like I feel something pinched me so I'm like my girl I'm like you pinching me and she like no and I'm like oh man and I just to show you like even though they not here physically they spirit is still around and I feel like my grandmother she she's always around I always see things that remind me of her the butterflies and you know sometimes you can feel on your Ling's presence um that's that's that's been gone but um yeah going back to that in 2016 that was a that was a dark time but I feel like that mold me into the person I am today being a a young dude in the NFL trying to figure out his way trying to figure out his way through life and then um you know as a player just fighting through adversity having dark times and knowing that [ __ ] um no matter what [ __ ] just keep your faith strong and keep working and I got my family leaning on as well so everything was straight I'm glad we had an opportunity to do this obviously I'm I'm a huge huge fan of yours uh of you on and off the field I love how you carry yourself I didn't realize we had so much in coming uh mug City 16,000 people Uli one time I was like wo I thought ulie was country boy out there the M it's is different the m is different different but it shaped me to help me become the person I am playing running back uh birthed by young parents my mom was around 16 17 same age having that relationship with my grandmother you know being homesick when I left to go to Florida we both cried yeah and I'm like [ __ ] so but she said you ain't coming back home yeah bring your ass back home um but no I do admire you for a whole lot of reasons uh but we always ask our guest what's their biggest pivot right it's um that one moment you can look back on and say this is the moment that impacted me the most that it helped me become the person that we all see here right now I was say in 20188 um 16 and 17 um I was behind DeMarco Murray and um you know when you you young you think you should be playing be like man I I should be the startup and then 18 turn around and um I get a chance to start and that whole offseason my Approach wasn't what it needed to be and we had a whole new coaching staff um and a whole new offense and going back to when I got the B was thinking everything just going to fall in my hands I don't need to do what I need to do to prepare like a starter and take my job serious like like like I need to and then when that season came it it showed I was struggling I wasn't running hard um Wen really having no impact and then I end up getting bench and Deion Lewis end up taking over [ __ ] damn near should almost through that year sh on the birds get getting cut cuz I wasn't wasn't doing nothing I wasn't making no impact I remember calling my uh agent after one game I forgot what game it was and I was like [ __ ] they going to cut me cuz I ain't even I ain't even playing you feel me like you know when they're writing on the wall they're writing on the wall I remember one day uh at practice um I used see one butterfly but I saw multiple butterflies and um it was just like a remind it's like she starts telling me when I was little like like get your lesson like football going to be there but make sure you get your lesson right and I was just open the eye for me just like I was just like man I'm tripping I got to I got to get I got to get to it so whenever I got benched you know I I I got quiet but I was like still working and I told myself I was like man if I get another opportunity no matter if I'm second third stream I'm going go in there and go go run it and just stop thinking and and go play like myself and um ever since like after that happened I remember it was a game we played the uh played the Colts and we was getting whooped and um I got in you know when you when you get whooped you like hey dere go in there like 4 minutes left in the four qut I'm like man but I was like I like forget it I'm I'm I'm go in I'm do my thing and I end up running the ball pretty well and Ra was like man you get some more some more opportunities and then week after week I just start you know building my confidence and you know just embracing my role and until that Jaguar gang Jaguar game came and I just like like if if I get the opportunity tonight is if we on Prime Time like it's it's up I'm going I'm going go crazy at the 99 yard yeah the 99 yard run after that game I don't know it just like something changed something just clicked and I would probably say that was the the the pivot moment for me cuz W without that without that happening in my life no matter you know ain't no telling where my career would have went and I feel like that really impacted me to get where I am today and success that I had in my career and being able to to to be where I'm at now so I guess the last question would be if you could write your grandmother a letter today where you are what would it say so thank you for everything that she's taught me um throughout my life um I still use it to this day being 30 years old and I know you know I'm I'm young and it was just you know she's talking to me and um you know just raising me and and having conversation but those conversations turned into life lessons that um I kept with me since I was a a little boy and any point in my life that you know I had um some cloudiness I'll fall back on them conversations that we always had and that helped me get through it her hard work that she instilled and um every single one of us in my family cuz I got a big family and um and all her kids that's still that's still attack to this day you know and it it it it has Domino affected to every single one of her children's kids and her children children uh children's kids and and me as well and everything that she instilled to me I'm going still in my kids as well awesome and um just thank her for her sacrifice and everything that she's she's done in my life and I'm going continue to do what I got to do to make her proud and um be able to provide for for the family we need a Prince Henry around here that that that makes babies I appreciate you Bress no that's going to be scary this right here though my God this right here this in got to figure out which one to take how long yall here hold up liit it I here to witness it my people feeling militant feeling get me up on the mission got me up knowing me I got the key on the vision I can trust trust Limitless [ __ ] P it I here to witness it my people feeling militant feeling get me up miss me