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- Derrick Henry girlfriend: Adrianna Rivas
- Derrick Henry daughters
- Derrick Henry grandma: Gladys Henry
- Derrick Henry dad: Derrick Henry Sr.
- Derrick Henry mom: Stacy Veal
- Where is Derrick Henry from?
The NFL has never seen a running back quite like Derrick Henry, and it may never again either.
Henry, an Alabama product, has been terrorizing opposing NFL defenses since 2016. As he's racked up 1,000-yard seasons and plenty of touchdowns, Henry has built himself a nice argument for entry into Canton someday.
Long before he reached the NFL though, Henry was considered an athletic prodigy, raised by his family as one of the most powerful players on the field no matter his age.
Here's a full look at Henry's family, from his parents to his girlfriend and daughters.
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Derrick Henry girlfriend: Adrianna Rivas
Henry's girlfriend is Adrianna Rivas. The two have been dating since 2016, the same year he was drafted by the Titans.
Rivas is from Texas and went to the University of Texas to study public relations, graduating in 2016. Per People, Rivas's relationship with Henry also began that year, although it's unknown how they met or many other details about Rivas' professional life.
In the years since they met, Rivas and Henry have had two daughters together, and they also have two dogs, a Goldendoodle and a Rottweiler mix.
Rivas often supports Henry in his games in-person, posting him on social media, although her Instagram account is no longer active. She has also been in attendance for his other football requirements, such as his first Ravens press conference in 2024 and the ESPY Awards in 2021.
When Henry signed a contract extension with Baltimore in 2025, Rivas posted to Instagram calling him the "best in the game" while celebrating his deal, per Yahoo Sports.
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Derrick Henry daughters
Henry has two daughters with Rivas, Valentina and Celine.
Valentina Allure Henry
Henry's first daughter, Valentina Allure Henry, was born in May of 2020 after Rivas announced her pregnancy of January of that year.
In 2024, while still a member of the Titans, Henry said his daughter and girlfriend were "all the motivation I need in this world," per The Athletic.
The running back was seen with Valentina at training camp in 2023:
Celine Amor Henry
On Christmas Day in 2023, Rivas posted on social media that she and Henry were expecting another daughter. Celine Amor Henry was then born in April 2024.
After he departed from Tennessee in 2024, Henry said he's close with former Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill in part because "His wife and my girl, they’re close," and "my little girl loves his kids."
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Derrick Henry grandma: Gladys Henry
Henry's grandmother was Gladys Henry. She was his primary caretaker growing up, as his parents were teenagers when he was born. Gladys nicknamed Henry "Shocka" as a child because of how his birth "shocked" the family.
Henry has long been open about his relationship with his grandmother, who died in 2016. After her death, he wrote a piece for "The Player's Tribune" titled "I Did It, Grandma," which he released on the day he walked the stage for graduation at Alabama.
"You and me, we were just … attached, you know? You were my best friend," Henry wrote of Gladys. "Graduating is something that I’ve wanted to do for myself, but also, for you. I always wanted you to be proud of me, and I know that you are. I just admired you so much growing up. I mean, you and Granddaddy raised 14 kids. Now, I wasn’t around for all that, and I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been.
But I can definitely see how you did it, because I know how hard you always worked. I remember you leaving early in the morning to go clean rooms at the Holiday Inn, and then coming home at night and cooking and cleaning, and yelling at me and all my cousins for being bad … you never turned it off. You were always working. Always looking after us, providing for us."
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You taught me what’s important. You knew I loved sports and that I was gonna be good. But remember how mad I used to get? I hated losing so much. If I was out in the yard playing football with my cousins and I lost, I would get so frustrated that I would cry."
Henry also told ESPN in 2020 that his grandmother was an example for him in providing for her family after his grandfather died in 2000.
"She had to continue to work and provide for us as a family," Henry said. "Watching her get up when she didn't want to, she worked at the Holiday Inn cleaning the hotels, so we had food on our table, clothes on our back and a roof over our head. That's what I will always remember. It's what she instilled in me. Always work hard. Always keep God first. Prayer is powerful. That's what I believe in, and it's what I will one day teach my kids."
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When Henry won the Heisman Trophy in 2015, Gladys was still celebrating despite being in the hospital, with the rest of the family joining her. She also wrote from her hospital bed that Henry winning the award was "one of the biggest moments of my life."
When Henry signed a contract with the Ravens in 2024, he appeared at his introductory press conference in a purple suit. Not only was it fitting because of the team's colors, but he also shared that it was the first time he had worn the suit since Gladys' funeral in 2016.
"She died in 2016, and purple is her favorite color," Henry said, per Ryan Mink of the Ravens' site. "We're actually moving these next [few] weeks, so I was scrambling through boxes, pulling everything out, trying to find this suit and be able to put it together."
"I definitely wanted to wear this color to honor her and show all the fans around Flock Nation that I'm ready, and I'm on board."
Derrick Henry dad: Derrick Henry Sr.
Derrick Henry's dad is Derrick Henry Sr. When Henry was born, his father was 16 years old, and for much of his childhood, Henry Sr. was in and out of prison.
USA Today reported in 2015 that throughout Henry's childhood, his father was arrested a total of 20 times, with the first incident coming when the younger Henry was under two years old for possession of cocaine. Henry Sr.'s other run-ins with the law included charges including sale or delivery of a controlled substance, soliciting for prostitution, hit and run and driving under the influence, per USA Today.
That's partially why the future football star grew up with his grandparents, aunts and uncles playing a significant role in raising him, especially his grandmother. One of his middle school and high school football coaches, J.T. Medley, also played a significant role in aiding Henry as a mentor.
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Henry has remained close with his dad in his older years, and he also said that his father was a "big part of me playing football."
"Anything I wanted to play, he was gonna pay for it. Any game I had, he was coming to," Henry said. "At the time, I didn't understand, but my dad was just trying to do everything he can to survive and provide for his kids and provide for me."
Derrick Henry mom: Stacy Veal
Henry's mom is Stacy Veal. When Henry was born, Veal was 15 years old, and she later became a hemodialysis technician.
Stacy played a role in Henry choosing to stay at Alabama beyond his first season. ESPN reported in 2015 that after his freshman regular season with the Crimson Tide, Henry was considering transferring before talking with his mother and family.
"His first instinct was, 'I want to leave, I don't want to be here,'" Stacy said.
The story added that Stacy and Henry's mentor, J.T. Medley, called head coach Nick Saban about Henry's hesitation. Henry then went on to excel in that year's Sugar Bowl, totaling over 160 total yards for Alabama, and the team's starting running back, T.J. Yeldon, entered the NFL Draft.
"He said, 'Momma, it's all me,' " Stacy told ESPN of Henry talking about the starting job. "I said, 'Son, you have your goals you want to work on. You have your Heisman. You want to go high in the draft.' He said, 'It's all me.'"
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Where is Derrick Henry from?
Derrick Henry was born and raised in Yulee, Florida, which is just north of Jacksonville. He attended Yulee High School, where he played football, basketball, and track before committing to Alabama.
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