Derrick Henry runs away with Offensive Player of the Year

[T-Rac]

Getty Images

Titans running back Derrick Henry ran away with Offensive Player of the Year just as he ran away from defenses this season.

He got 32 of 50 votes, far outdistancing quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers with five apiece.

Henry became the eighth running back to top 2,000 yards in a single season. He rushed for 2,027 yards, the fifth-most in NFL history. He was not far off Eric Dickerson’s single-season NFL record of 2,105 yards, which Dickerson rushed for during the 1984 season.

“We take a lot of pride in the running game and have had success, and then anything is possible with the group I am with, [so] we could accomplish it,” Henry told the Associated Press.

Henry won the rushing title for the second consecutive year, rushing for 470 more yards than Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. Henry also led the league in carries (378), rushing touchdowns (17), touches (397) and yards from scrimmage (2,141).

He had three games with more than 200 yards, including in the Week 17 victory over the Texans when he carried the Titans to the AFC South title with 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Running backs have won four of the past eight Offensive Player of the Year awards, but Todd Gurley in 2017 was the last one. Saints receiver Michael Thomas won it last year.