Derrick Henry has been one of the most talented running backs in the NFL in recent years. However, the Tennessee Titans decided to let the four-time Pro Bowler hit the free agent market earlier this year.
In March, Henry signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Some debated whether the 30-year-old could still be a dominant player, but this season he proved to be a catalyst for the Ravens. Henry's 873 rushing yards led the league through the first seven weeks of the season.
Shortly after signing with the Ravens, Henry noted that he had not heard from the Dallas Cowboys during the short time he was on the open market. This week, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to explain why the team declined to sign the star running back.
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October 6, 2024. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is on the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acresure Stadium. (Charles LeClair Iman Images)
“In my mind, we're not playing good football at all right now,” Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “It doesn't matter if we have Derrick Henry or not. Derrick Henry is having a career year.”
Jones then suggested that the Cowboys' offensive philosophy would not help Henry experience the same level of success he currently has with the Ravens.
“I don't know if he's going to have those career years in our situation,” Jones continued. “And that's really remarkable, because if he didn't have as many carries as our running backs, he probably wouldn't have been at the level of impact that he is. And , he's a top-notch player that complements the type of offense they run really well. We do not carry out such types of attacks at all. ”
Derrick Henry says Cowboys didn't call him 'at all' in free agency
Jones cited salary cap constraints after saying Henry was “not a good fit.”
“Derrick Henry didn't fit, mainly to manage the (salary) cap… in anticipation of the players we're going to sign in the next few weeks, (and) in anticipation of the players we're going to sign. “future. ”
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) carries the ball en route to a touchdown during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jeff Burke-Imagine image)
The Cowboys' running game has struggled most of this season, which led to even more questions about the organization's decision to pass on Henry. He rushed for 169 yards in the Ravens' 41-31 win over the Buccaneers on Monday. He ran for 151 yards in last month's win over the Cowboys.
No questions were asked when Jones mentioned Henry's name during the conversation. The interview also marked the first time the longtime Cowboys owner called a radio station since threatening to fire the host of his morning drive show.
Jones made the suggestion after being asked about a relatively uneventful offseason for the billionaire Cowboys, who previously vowed to be “all in” for the 2024 season.
Jones was unable to issue a full apology when he returned to the air, saying he was “surprised” that the exchange received so much attention. When asked about the current moment, he said, “I have nothing to say about last week.” “I'm surprised by the attention it received last week.”
Jones also weighed in on recent criticisms voiced by former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman about the team's wide receiver group during a broader discussion. Jones declared that Aikman “knows football” and described him as a “fair” person.
October 16, 2023. Inglewood, California, USA. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (right) speaks with former quarterback Troy Aikman before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
“He's very professional,” Jones said of Aikman. “I think he’s very fair… We’re pretty confident that we have the ability to coach and we have some receivers that can take coaching and improve. And that’s the big thing, improve. That’s it.”
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The Cowboys will travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers later this week. The Niners will be without Brandon Aiyuk, who suffered a torn ACL in last Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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