Albany Times Union

Titans’ Henry says foot just fine

Star running back happy to be back on field in time for divisional playoff vs. Cincy

- Nashville, Tenn.

Derrick Henry, the man who literally ran the Tennessee Titans to the AFC championsh­ip game two years ago, is ready to play again.

The 2020 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year says his surgically repaired right foot, fixed with a steel plate, feels no different from his left, and he’s happy to be back on a football field.

Just in time for Saturday’s divisional playoff game against Cincinnati.

As long as the Titans make the final step, moving Henry from injured reserve to the active roster by Friday afternoon. Henry talking to reporters Wednesday for the first time since breaking his foot Oct. 31 sure seems a strong indicator he will be back in time for kickoff.

So will he play Saturday?

“See how this week goes, and we’ll see where I’m at on Saturday,” Henry said.

This was the first time Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, had ever dealt with an injury during a football season. He called it “definitely shocking,“though Henry simply turned his attention to surgery and working his way back to the football field.

The injury cost him the final nine games of the season. The NFL’S 2019 and 2020 rushing leader led the league again when he was injured, and Henry still finished the season ninth with 937 yards.

“It was the first time that I got injured during the season and had to miss you know the rest of the season, so it was definitely different …,” Henry said. “Just glad that I was able to get through it and had my support system and happy to be back.”

The Titans running back will be monitored when he does return, a big difference for someone used to a heavy workload. He had 303 carries in the 2019 regular season with 83 more in three playoff games, and he followed with 378 rushes in 2020.

Giants: Ryan Poles, 36, who has spent 13 years with the Kansas City Chiefs, the past year as executive director of player personnel, was interviewe­d for the second time by the New York Giants for their vacancy at general manager. Poles met with Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch and senior vice president of player personnel Chris Mara.

Browns: Cleveland quarterbac­k Baker Mayfield had successful surgery Wednesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Buccaneers: Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians says he’ll appeal a $50,000 fine imposed by the NFL for slapping the helmet of one of his players during last Sunday’s 31-15 NFC wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelph­ia Eagles. Arians said he was trying to prevent safety Andrew Adams from drawing a penalty for pulling players out of a pile when he stepped a short distance off the sideline and struck the player’s helmet with his hand before trying to push Adams away from Eagles players. At the bottom of the pile, the Bucs’ Ross

Cockrell had recovered a muffed punt, giving the defending Super Bowl champions the ball at the Philadelph­ia 48. Five plays later, Tom Brady threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski, putting Tampa Bay up 24-0.

Packers: Green Bay released defensive lineman Kingsley Keke, who made eight starts this season but hadn’t played at all in their past three games.

Raiders: Las Vegas interim coach Rich Bisaccia interviewe­d for the full-time job as owner Mark Davis searches for a coach and GM to lead the franchise into the future. The 61-yearold Bisaccia took over in October when Jon Gruden was forced to resign following the release of old offensive emails and had a 7-5 record in the regular season.

Vikings: Minnesota completed head coach interviews Wednesday with the two top assistants for the Dallas Cowboys: offensive coordinato­r Kellen Moore and defensive coordinato­r Dan Quinn.

 ?? Darron Cummings / Associated Press ?? Derrick Henry, whose surgically repaired right foot was fixed with a steel plate, is working toward a return to game action.
Darron Cummings / Associated Press Derrick Henry, whose surgically repaired right foot was fixed with a steel plate, is working toward a return to game action.

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