Derrick Henry Apologized to Ravens Teammates, Fans After Key Late Fumble Against Lions

Derrick Henry's string of fumbles to open the 2025 season has him at a loss.

The Baltimore Ravens' running back put the ball on the ground in a key spot Monday night during his team's 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions. With Baltimore trailing 28-24, midway through the fourth quarter, Henry was stripped from behind by Lions star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and lost the ball. Detroit recovered and hit a field goal on the ensuing possession.

That marked the second time this season Henry had fumbled during the fourth quarter of a close game. The Ravens wound up losing both. In Week 1, a late fumble by the five-time Pro Bowler helped fuel the Buffalo Bills' 41-40 comeback win over Baltimore. He also had a fumble in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns that a teammate recovered.

After Monday night's game, Henry apologized to his teammates, coaches, and Ravens fans for his fumbling woes.

"I'm at a loss for words," Henry said. "This sucks right now. I ain't going to lie to y'all."

"It's just crazy," he continued. "Three fumbles [in three games] straight. I'm trying every day to fix the problem that just keeps occurring. I'm my worst critic, so I'm not trying to beat myself up too much. But it's hard not to when it's consecutive and consistent."

Ravens coach John Harbaugh addressed the fumble spree and defended his running back while also saying, "We gotta get it fixed."

Derrick Henry's Fumble Issues Aren't Typical

Henry has been solid so far this season for Baltimore. Through three games, he has rushed for 242 yards and three touchdowns on 41 carries. That's an excellent average of 5.9 yards per rush, but the then fumbles stand out.

In three games, Henry has put the ball on the ground more than he did during the 2023 and 2024 seasons combined. He has already lost two fumbles, which he hasn't done since 2022. He has never fumbled more than five times in a season, and has never lost more than three. He hit both of those marks in 2019 as a member of the Tennessee Titans.

Henry is coming off an electric 2024 season in which he rushed for 1,921 yards and tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns (16). In 17 games, he fumbled three times and only lost one. He's already surpassed that this year.

The Ravens need Henry to fix this issue. After three weeks, Baltimore is 1-2 despite leading the NFL with 111 points scored. The team needs its star running back at his best.