The Los Angeles Rams running back room took a hit prior to the 2021 season when Cam Akers went down with an Achilles tear. However, the offense kept humming along thanks to Darrell Henderson, who stepped up in his absence.
Henderson was able to keep the backfield going strong for the first part of the season, helping the Rams keep pace in the NFC and make the playoffs. Although he suffered a few injuries along the way, the running back was able to play in Super Bowl LVI and ultimately contribute to their championship.
Now, Henderson is getting his own day as his hometown of Batesville in Mississippi has officially declared Feb. 13 “Darrell Henderson Day” after he recently hosted a camp there.
Coming from a small town and not gaining much fanfare amongst scouts, Henderson faced an uphill climb to get to the NFL, but he attributed his success to hard work, via Erin Wilson of localmemphis.com:
“I overcame a lot, I was always told I was too small. I was never highly recruited but one thing they can’t deny is hard work,” said Darrell Henderson.
Henderson also admitted he got chills after hosting his own camp and getting a day named after him:
“Just to see them happy and excited it’s just giving me the chills and this ain’t the last one, we’re going to keep this going,” said Henderson.
Having a day named after him is a huge honor for Henderson and a testament to how much he had to overcome to get to this point in his career. As far as his camp, over 200 participants showed up and he is hopeful the event turns into an annual one.
Heading into his fourth season with the Rams, Henderson will reprise his role as the backup to Akers though if fully healthy may be able to mix in on more downs. Los Angeles will need him to be productive if they hope to defend their Super Bowl crown.
