Running backs have enjoyed a position revival over the past couple of seasons. While rushing attacks dominated the league for most of its existence, the air attack took the league by storm in recent years. Now, running backs are again becoming a crucial cog in every team’s offense.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is one of the model backs in today’s league, ravaging opposing defenses both as a runner and a receiver. However, while he’s coming off his best year, totaling 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, Barkley is facing the career drop-off point at age 28.
Most backs begin to lose a step as they get close to 30, but Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is one ball carrier who refuses to let history define his career. As he continues to gash defenses every Sunday, Barkley is looking for guidance to navigate the late stages of his career, and the Ravens superstar has a ton of advice to offer.
"I should reach out to Derrick, to be honest. I'm good friends with Derrick. He's been doing it for a long time. He rushed for 2,000, and almost got it [again] last year. He's playing at a high level at that age, and at the position that we're playing,” Barkley said.
Derrick Henry gets high praise from the league’s other top back
Unlike most running backs in NFL history, it seems Henry is one of those players who gets better with age. He’s aging like a fine wine going into his age 31 season. While he didn’t join Barkley in the 2,000-yard club in 2024, he had the most efficient season of his career. In his first season with Baltimore, he tallied 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, all on 5.9 yards per carry.
For Barkley, he found similar success in his first season with his new home in Philadelphia. He demolished his previous career-high by nearly 700 yards. He also led the league in rushing yards per game with 125.3.
After this unbelievable campaign, he was awarded 2025’s Offensive Player of the Year and selected to his third Pro Bowl. At 28, there’s not much that Barkley needs to learn from Henry, but solving the mystery of how to have a long and healthy career is one Henry holds the answer to.
Henry has been vocal about his next-level diet and workout routine. He spends around $240,000 on his body per year, and it’s helped him have such a successful career. Outside of his 2021 season, when he suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot, Henry has handled the heavy workload. He leads active players in rushing attempts, over 200 carries in front of the second-place Ezekiel Elliott. He’s the model for healthy running backs, and Barkley is right in looking to him for advice as he gets closer to 30 years old.
Injuries are one aspect of football that is unfortunately unpredictable. Some of the best players the league has ever seen couldn’t escape the injury bug, and Barkley dealt with this bug early in his NFL career. Though, he’s been able to shake it. As the league’s top two backs continue to age, the duo is proving age is just a number and showing no signs of slowing down.
