Was Derrick Henry benched? John Harbaugh admits not using Ravens star RB on final drive was mistake

Teddy Ricketson

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Was Derrick Henry benched? John Harbaugh admits not using Ravens star RB on final drive was mistake image

The Baltimore Ravens played the New England Patriots for Week 16's "Sunday Night Football." The game was back-and-forth throughout, but the Patriots ended up winning 28-24 to clinch a playoff spot. 

Baltimore didn't have starting quarterback Lamar Jackson for the entire second half due to a back injury, and the gameplan was expected to make star running back Derrick Henry the focal point. 

Henry had a great game, including 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns. When the Ravens took the ball back with nine minutes left, clinging to a three-point lead, Henry wasn't on the field. Furthermore, when Baltimore got the ball with two minutes left, trailing by four, Henry still wasn't on the field. 

Here is more on why Henry wasn't on the field for Baltimore's final two drives. 

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Was Derrick Henry benched?

No, Henry wasn't benched. Head coach John Harbaugh said that the reason he wasn't on the field was due to a running back rotation.

After the game, Harbaugh regretfully explained, "I don't like the drive at all. Looking back, would I rather have had Derrick starting the drive? Yes. But Derrick was kind of ready for Keaton to start that drive. And then he was planning on coming in next. So, they were working that rotation."

Henry confirmed that he wasn't surprised that he didn't take the field on the team's second-to-last drive. "We've been doing a rotation for I don't know how many weeks. Keaton has been doing a great job in the run game, and we are both in there doing the best we can. We have a lot of good players, so everybody has to get their touches and get opportunities, and Keaton is deserving of it."

The second-to-last drive went six plays with the Ravens only tallying 13 total yards before punting. When Baltimore got the ball back, it was not only facing a deficit but also the clock. Henry hasn't been used as a pass-catcher, so it makes sense that he wasn't on the field for that drive. But, the Ravens getting the ball back after Henry had just had 30 yards and a touchdown and not putting him on the field played a role in the team's loss. 

Baltimore now faces elimination from playoff contention with a Week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers or a Pittsburgh Steelers win over the Cleveland Browns. 

MORE: Updated AFC, NFC playoff picture in Week 16

Derrick Henry snaps vs. Keaton Mitchell

Henry saw the most action among the active Ravens running backs in the Week 16 loss. Still, with the crazy game he had, the veteran back only played 43.6% of offensive snaps. 

Mitchell played 34.5% of offensive snaps, while third-string running back Rasheen Ali played 21.8% of offensive snaps. 

MORE: Updated 2026 NFL Draft order in Week 16

Derrick Henry stats vs. Patriots

  • 18 carries
  • 128 rushing yards
  • 2 rushing TDs

Henry led the team with 18 carries compared to Mitchell's nine. The starting running back was responsible for two of the three Baltimore touchdowns, making it all the more head-scratching that Harbaugh decided to stick to a rotation and keep Henry off the field with the game on the line. 

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