FOXBOROUGH – Mike Vrabel more than understands the challenge ahead of the Patriots this week.

When his team travels to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in the Sunday Night Football matchup, the Patriots’ defense will be tasked with trying to slow down legendary running back Derrick Henry.

In his second season with the Ravens, the 31-year-old has rushed for 1,125 yards to go with 10 touchdowns. Built like an edge rusher, Henry is a massive challenge for any defense. That’s why he was a centerpiece of Vrabel’s offense in Tennessee.

Now, for the first time as a head coach, Vrabel will attempt to slow Henry down as opposed to leaning on him.

“He was very valuable, I think, to our success in Tennessee,” Vrabel said. “Me personally, I had a great relationship with Derrick. He was always there. It seemed like when we needed to play, he made it. He’s a great teammate. Anytime that there was a message, he delivered that message in his own particular way. So again, he was somebody that I really valued in the six years that I was there with him.”

When Vrabel was hired as the Titans’ head coach in 2017, it marked Henry’s second NFL season. By 2018, the running back eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. By 2019, Henry was one of the best in the NFL.

Tennessee’s offense leaned heavily on the massive 6-foot-2, 252-pound running back that season. Henry led the NFL in carries (303), rushing yards (1,540), and rushing touchdowns (16). He earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career.

Henry bested those numbers the next season. In 2020, he won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award after finishing with 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns. The running back averaged 126.7 rush yards per game that season.  

“He’s a very unique player,” Vrabel said. “Great speed, great power, strength. He’s just a different body type than what anybody would go against, and so it’s unique in that regard. They do a very nice job with their scheme, different personnel groups, different run plan and styles of run, and different run actions.”

Henry earned four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro honors in Tennessee. The back left Tennessee in 2024 after Vrabel was let go and signed with the Ravens. He had another great season last year, finishing with 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors.

Henry heads into this matchup against his former head coach ranked fifth in the NFL in rushing yards and fifth in rushing touchdowns.

“So again, we know what he’s about,” Vrabel said. “Build speed and stiff arm and all that other stuff.”