{"id":43776,"date":"2025-04-25T03:07:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T03:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=43776"},"modified":"2025-04-25T03:07:12","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T03:07:12","slug":"breaking-news-ravens-star-derrick-henry-stuns-fans-and-leaves-head-coach-john-harbaugh-speechless-with-some-major-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=43776","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Stuns Fans and Leaves Head Coach John Harbaugh Speechless With Some Major A&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"155\" data-end=\"281\"><strong data-start=\"155\" data-end=\"281\">BREAKING NEWS: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Stuns Fans and Leaves Head Coach John Harbaugh Speechless With Major Announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"283\" data-end=\"315\">\n<p data-start=\"317\" data-end=\"579\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div data-marker=\"first_img_marker\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy entered loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/statico.profootballnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/26195849\/how-long-has-john-harbaugh-been-the-ravens-head-coach-1024x683.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/statico.profootballnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/26195849\/how-long-has-john-harbaugh-been-the-ravens-head-coach-1024x683.jpg\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In a jaw-dropping turn of events that has sent shockwaves across the NFL community, Baltimore Ravens\u2019 powerhouse running back\u00a0<strong data-start=\"443\" data-end=\"460\">Derrick Henry<\/strong>\u00a0made a stunning announcement today that left fans in disbelief and\u00a0<strong data-start=\"528\" data-end=\"578\">Head Coach John Harbaugh completely speechless<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"div_ub_banner_2\"><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"581\" data-end=\"737\">During a surprise press conference held at the Ravens\u2019 training facility, Henry stepped up to the podium, paused, and delivered a message no one saw coming.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"739\" data-end=\"922\">\n<p data-start=\"741\" data-end=\"922\">\u201cI\u2019ve made a decision that will change the course of my life and, honestly, the future of this team,\u201d Henry said, his voice steady but emotional. \u201cThis isn\u2019t easy\u2026 but it\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"924\" data-end=\"1113\"><strong data-start=\"924\" data-end=\"955\">The 6\u20193\u2033, 247-pound bruiser<\/strong>\u2014known for steamrolling defenders and racking up highlight-reel touchdowns\u2014announced that\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1045\" data-end=\"1113\">he will be stepping away from football\u2026 effective immediately.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"div_ub_banner_3\"><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"1115\" data-end=\"1233\">The reason?\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1127\" data-end=\"1187\">Henry revealed he\u2019s pursuing an entirely different dream<\/strong>\u2014one that has nothing to do with the gridiron.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"1235\" data-end=\"1392\">\n<p data-start=\"1237\" data-end=\"1392\">\u201cI\u2019ve always had a deep passion for music,\u201d Henry said, stunning reporters. \u201cAnd now, I\u2019m going all-in on my rap career. My debut album drops this summer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"1394\" data-end=\"1486\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div data-marker=\"first_img_marker\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy entered loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1rj4N9.img?w=768&amp;h=512&amp;m=6\" data-src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/BB1rj4N9.img?w=768&amp;h=512&amp;m=6\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"div_ub_banner_4\"><\/div>\n<p>Yes, you read that right:\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1420\" data-end=\"1486\">Derrick Henry is leaving the NFL to become a full-time rapper.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1488\" data-end=\"1527\">The reaction was instant\u2014and explosive.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1529\" data-end=\"1759\">Fans flooded social media with reactions ranging from shock to disbelief to support. NFL analysts scrambled to make sense of the announcement, with many calling it \u201cone of the most unexpected retirements in recent sports history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1761\" data-end=\"1834\">Coach John Harbaugh, visibly caught off guard, offered a brief statement:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"1836\" data-end=\"1988\">\n<div id=\"div_ub_banner_5\"><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"1838\" data-end=\"1988\">\u201cDerrick is one of the most incredible athletes and people I\u2019ve ever worked with. I\u2019m\u2026 I\u2019m speechless. I didn\u2019t see this coming. But I support him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"1990\" data-end=\"2219\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div data-marker=\"first_img_marker\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy entered loaded\" src=\"https:\/\/nbcsports.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/3df5c22\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3794x2134+0+0\/resize\/1440x810!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnbc-sports-production-nbc-sports.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F83%2Fab%2F800a33864c4fb712537fcf8545f8%2Fhttps-delivery-gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F2173802064\" data-src=\"https:\/\/nbcsports.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/3df5c22\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3794x2134+0+0\/resize\/1440x810!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnbc-sports-production-nbc-sports.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F83%2Fab%2F800a33864c4fb712537fcf8545f8%2Fhttps-delivery-gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F2173802064\" data-ll-status=\"loaded\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"div_ub_banner_6\"><\/div>\n<p>Henry leaves behind an already legendary career, including a rushing title, multiple Pro Bowl appearances, and a newly-signed blockbuster deal with Baltimore. Just months ago, he was seen as the missing piece to a Super Bowl run.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2221\" data-end=\"2335\">Now, that dream takes a backseat\u2014as Derrick Henry begins a new chapter, trading shoulder pads for studio sessions.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2337\" data-end=\"2406\">His first single? It\u2019s reportedly titled\u00a0<strong data-start=\"2378\" data-end=\"2406\">\u201cBeast Mode Never Dies.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2408\" data-end=\"2419\">Stay tuned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BREAKING NEWS: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Stuns Fans and Leaves Head Coach John Harbaugh Speechless With Major Announcement &nbsp; &nbsp; In a jaw-dropping turn of events that&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING NEWS: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Stuns Fans and Leaves Head Coach John Harbaugh Speechless With Some Major A... - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=43776\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING NEWS: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Stuns Fans and Leaves Head Coach John Harbaugh Speechless With Some Major A... - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"BREAKING NEWS: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Stuns Fans and Leaves Head Coach John Harbaugh Speechless With Major Announcement &nbsp; 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