Mike Tomlin found a viral way to describe Derrick Henry on Sunday Night Football, and the reason behind it was even better than the nickname.
With the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons on the stage for Week 5, Tomlin was working NBC’s broadcast and kept calling Henry “The Big Runner” instead of saying his name. That puzzled plenty of viewers, but Maria Taylor cleared it up during the broadcast.
"I just want to remind you guys, 'The Big Runner' is Derrick Henry. He (Tomlin) still will not say his name because he sends a shiver down his spine," Taylor said.
Tomlin doubled down on the bit with a blunt explanation of his own: "I cannot say it," when it comes to Derrick Henry's name. Afterward, he posted on Twitter/x with a short message for Henry: "So much respect for The Big Runner."
The joke has roots in real football reasons. Tomlin, a defensive coach, knows exactly what Henry can do, and that respect is obvious. Still, the numbers tell a strange story.
Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers have actually gone 6-1 against Henry in his NFL career. But Henry has still done real damage in those matchups. Against the Steelers, he has 629 yards and three touchdowns on126 rushing attempts, which works out to 89.9 yards per game.
That production against Pittsburgh is strong enough that Henry has more yards per game against only 10 other NFL teams. On the total-yardage list, only five teams have allowed him to run for more, and among non-AFC South teams, only the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills have given up more yards to Henry than the Steelers have.
So while Tomlin’s teams have mostly come out on top, Henry has still been a problem. And based on Tomlin’s broadcast performance, “The Big Runner” is a title he’ll keep using with plenty of respect.
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