After the Baltimore Ravens officially released long-term head coach John Harbaugh, the locker room’s sentiments took center stage. As Harbaugh starts anew with the New York Giants, star running back Derrick Henry finally breaks his silence. He addressed the noise surrounding his former coach’s dismissal, making it clear where he stands. It turns out there is no bad blood, but only respect.

Derrick Henry revealed he hasn’t spoken to Harbaugh since the news of his latest hiring came to light. Still, the 32-year-old veteran had nothing but praise for the coach who guided him during the former’s brief stint in Baltimore.

“I really don’t know too much about it [Harbaugh’s latest hiring with the Giants],” he said. “But I wish Coach the best. I love Coach. He’s a great leader. Enjoyed my time with him in Baltimore. Kind of sad that it ended while I came to Baltimore…I definitely appreciate everything that he’s taught us and taught me through these last two years of me being a new guy.”

The running back’s praise echoed the stunning resume Harbaugh built during his eighteen seasons with the Ravens. Under his leadership, the team held a 180–113 regular-season record and made twelve postseason appearances. The best? They brought the Super Bowl XLVII ring home and also won six AFC North titles. This season, Henry himself benefited from his leadership, rushing for 1,595 yards on 307 carries. He also averaged 5.2 yards per attempt and scored sixteen touchdowns, the league’s second-best.

Furthermore, Henry described Harbaugh as a “first-class” coach who led the organization in a classy manner. He highlighted how the coach held players to the standard of “playing like a Raven” and urged them to maintain it every single day in the building and on the playing field.

“Hall of Fame coach, I always appreciated his coaching. I’m sure he knows that,” he added.

When asked what separated Harbaugh from other coaches, Henry pointed to how he treated players, praising his little steps, such as calling food trucks for the entire staff after every win.

“After we won, he would point out every single player that had an impact on the game,” he added. “Even if it doesn’t get noticed nationally, he made sure that they’re appreciated throughout the organization for the effort that they put into the team.”

Interestingly, Derrick Henry’s comments came after Harbaugh faced backlash for mismanaging him during a December game.

Derrick Henry’s former coach slammed for his underutilization

The Ravens’ 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 knocked them out of the playoffs and cost them the divisional title. It was a close contest that saw many controversial decisions, including the one to trust rookie kicker Tyler Loop on a 44-yard field goal in the closing seconds. The move eventually sealed their fate and drew stark criticism. Analyst Jason Whitlock chimed in with his own argument.

“Harbaugh settled for a 44-yarder like it was a chip shot inside that stadium in the cold,” he wrote on X.

But he didn’t stop there and went harder on Harbaugh when asked about the latter’s job security after missing the playoffs. Whitlock accused the former Baltimore HC of mismanaging Derrick Henry against the Steelers.

“No. Abuse of Derrick Henry criminal,” Whitlock tweeted.

For context, Henry took the field on fire during the first half with his 112-yard performance on the ground. It helped Baltimore hold a 10–3 halftime lead. But then he just vanished after the break and added only fourteen more yards to his total. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the first instance where Harbaugh’s decision didn’t sit well with many.

During their 32-14 Thanksgiving loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Henry pulled off a 28-yard run on the opening drive, but then his involvement plummeted. He finished the game with only 60 rushing yards on ten carries, along with a touchdown. The trend continued in Week 16 against the New England Patriots when the RB pushed his team’s lead to 24-13 by scoring a two-yard touchdown late in the game.

The Ravens had two more possessions left, but Harbaugh never called him onto the field again. These decisions indeed weighed heavily on Baltimore’s playoff exit and its future. And yet, Derrick Henry has made it clear there’s no bitterness on his end.