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Can Derrick Henry break LaDainian Tomlinson's TD record?

Posted on by Kennedy
Can Derrick Henry break LaDainian Tomlinson's TD record?

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The 2024 NFL season was the year of the running game. In six weeks, NFL teams are averaging 4.5 yards per carry for the second time in history, the first in 2022. Teams are averaging 121.7 rushing yards per game, the highest since 1987.

As the ground game makes a comeback, Baltimore's Derrick Henry leads the way. The Ravens running back has 704 rushing yards in six games, nearly 100 more than second-place San Francisco's Jordan Mason. These two are the only running backs to reach 500 yards in Week 6.

Henry also made it into the end zone with eight rushing touchdowns, the most in six games in NFL history. Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson holds the NFL single-season rushing touchdown record with 28 in 2006.

Can Henry break the record? These are his chances of making goal history in 2024.

Can Derrick Henry break the rushing TD record?

At his current rate, no. Henry is at 23 touchdowns this season, good enough for sixth all-time. He would be behind:

  • Tomlinson (28 in 2006)
  • Shaun Alexander (27 in 2005)
  • Priest Holmes (27 in 2003)
  • Emmitt Smith (25 in 2005)
  • John Riggins (24 in 1983)

Tomlinson only had seven rushing touchdowns in six games during his record-setting season.

Henry would need to score 20 rushing touchdowns in the remaining 11 games to match Tomlinson's record. Of those 11 games, three came against top-10 rushing defenses: Pittsburgh (twice) and the Los Angeles Chargers. Only one game comes in Week 10 against a bottom-10 rushing defense team, Cincinnati.

LaDainian Tomlinson's 2006 season stats

Tomlinson won NFL MVP honors in 2006 after a career year. His regular season results were:

  • Rush: 348 carries, 1,815 yards, 28 touchdowns
  • Reception: 56 catches, 508 yards, three touchdowns
  • Consist: 2 of 3 for 20 yards and two touchdowns

His 33 total touchdowns this season remain a single-season record for non-quarterbacks in NFL history.

After scoring just nine total touchdowns in the first six games, Tomlinson turned things around. In the next nine games, he scored a total of 24 touchdowns (21 rushing, two receiving, one passing), breaking the single-season record. Despite going scoreless in the final two weeks of the regular season, he finished the year with the best points total by a running back in NFL history.

Derrick Henry vs. LaDainian Tomlinson career stats

Henry is in his ninth season in the NFL. Tomlinson went 11-9 with the Chargers and two with the New York Jets. Here's their comparison before the start of Week 7's “MNF” when the Ravens take the field:

Derrick Henry

  • Carries: 2,149
  • Rushing yards: 10,206
  • Rushing touchdowns: 98
  • Receptions: 161
  • Receiving yards: 1,507
  • Receiving touchdowns: 4
  • Total yards per game: 93.7
  • Fumbles lost: 18

LaDainian Tomlinson

  • Carries: 3,174
  • Rushing yards: 13,684
  • Rushing touchdowns: 145
  • Receptions: 624
  • Receiving yards: 4,772
  • Receiving touchdowns: 17
  • Total yards per game: 108.6
  • Fumbles lost: 31

Henry is the active NFL career leader in these rushing categories.

Henry ranks 31st in NFL history in career rushing yards and 11th in career rushing touchdowns. If he finishes the season in line with his career average – not a record-breaking season – he will move to 24th in rushing yards and seventh all-time in those categories.

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