Despite the Baltimore Ravens struggling to start the 2025 season, Derrick Henry has continued to make inroads into the NFL’s rushing record books.
Henry also holds a prominent high school national record, which he aims to break. Knox High (Indiana) senior quarterback Myles McLaughlin is closing in on Henry’s incredible Yulee High (Florida) career rushing record of 12,124 yards, and the five-time Pro Bowler is hoping the kid shatters it.
“Go break it man,” Henry told Kay Adams on the “Up and Adams Show” this week. “That’s what records meant, they were meant to be broken. I’ve had it for over 10 years, man, go get it, go get the record. I hope you win the state championship with it.”
McLaughlin currently sits at 11,004 career yards and needs 1,121 yards to pass him with potentially four games left in the season.
In four elusive seasons for Yulee, Henry rushed for more than 2,400 yards each year, culminating in a senior campaign in which he passed for more than 4,200 yards.
McLaughlin needs to average 280.25 yards per game, which seems like an improbable number, but he’s coming off a 400-yard performance in his previous game. Most importantly, McLaughlin and Knox are in the Indiana 3A State Tournament, meaning they have one more game secured on Friday and possibly four more to go. So as long as Knox keeps working and McLaughlin keeps throwing out yards, he has a chance.
“Run hard, break tackles, he’s a beast,” Henry said of McLaughlin.
Interestingly, Henry may well cross the high school mark this week against the Minnesota Vikings. He currently sits at 12,052 career yards (regular season only, unlike his HS number).
In a Week 9 win over the Miami Dolphins, fittingly in his home state of Florida, Henry became just the 17th player in NFL history to rush for 12,000 yards. Along with that, Henry has passed Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Walter Payton on the all-time TD list this season, as he now ranks fifth with 112 career touchdowns.
As Henry has surpassed the legends who played before him, he hopes McLaughlin can do the same. Likewise, Henry remains in pursuit of his first Super Bowl with the Ravens trying to rally from a 1-5 start.
So, Henry hopes McLaughlin can finish off a great senior season — and high school career — by letting him pass and win it all along the way.
“I hope he rides off into the sunset,” Henry said, “with the record and the championship.