Tom Pelissero: “Derrick Henry could return in Week 18”

Oh, really? File this under things you #LoveToSee. Tennessee Titans fans continue to anxiously await any ounce of news surrounding Derrick Henry’s impending return to action. Thursday night’s win over the San Francisco 49ers reminded this fan base of what this offense is capable of when they have their weapons at their disposal. It was much welcomed after a slew of underperforming offensive appearances. A.J. Brown was unstoppable in the victory, and Titans fans are dreaming of pairing him with Henry once again.

The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is one of the more #PluggedIn national reporters in the world of sports media. While discussing the AFC playoff picture, Pelissero showered Titans head coach Mike Vrabel with some much-deserved praise, proclaiming him as a top Head Coach of the Year candidate. Vrabel has seen his team fight through more injuries than any team in football history (literally). It wasn’t Pelissero’s take on Vrabel that caught our attention, though, but rather this bombshell regarding Henry:

“It sounds like Derrick Henry maybe gets back for Week 18,” Pelissero said. “He has a chance to knock off some of the rust before they get into the playoffs after the significant foot injury he suffered earlier this season.”

Listen for yourself:

Shout out to Broadway Sports’ Shaun Calderon for bringing this clip to the attention of Titans Twitter via his own tweet.

It’s an incredibly interesting quote from one of the nation’s most well-respected reporters. The rumored timetables for Henry’s return have been all over place, and predictably, Vrabel has done little to clarify the details. Earlier on Monday, Vrabel said he didn’t foresee any injured Titans being designated to return this week. The question was undeniably in relation to Henry, and that fact wasn’t lost on Vrabel, despite his coy response.

Getting Henry back for the Week 18 contest against the Houston Texans would be excellent. It’s imperative Henry is healthy for the playoffs, but giving him a chance to knock off the rust before the playoffs would be ideal.

As always, stay tuned to MCM for all roster updates with in-depth reactions and analysis.