Derrick Henry's Infamous Touchdown Run on Jaguars Was Never Supposed to Happen

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur twisted the knife a bit on one of the Jacksonville Jaguars' most infamous wounds.

Dec 6, 2018; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) celebrates on the sidelines after a 99-yard touchdown run during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

For as long as Derrick Henry's football career is talked about, as will the biggest run of his life -- and one of the most infamous plays in Jacksonville Jaguars history.

Every Jaguars fan has seen it in countless highlights since. In a 30-9 trainwreck loss to the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football in December 2018, the Jaguars saw Henry bulldoze their entire defense for a jaw-dropping 99-yard run.

It is one of the biggest offensive plays period in the current NFL era. Henry's stiff arms to A.J. Bouye, Leon Jacobs, and Myles Jack have since become things of legend.

Insanely cool view of Derrick Henry’s legendary 99-yard TD run from 2018🔥 pic.twitter.com/27QeBr0Uuv

— A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) April 11, 2024

But this week, some salt was rubbed in the wound as current Packers head coach and former Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur revealed that he actually called a quarterback sneak on the play -- not a handoff to Henry.

WOAH: Matt LaFleur reveals that Derrick Henry's incredible 99-yard TD run in 2018 was supposed to be a QB sneak 🤯

via @gmfb @packers https://t.co/gBxS2xoems pic.twitter.com/OQ138hzIX8

— A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) August 22, 2024

"Derrick Henry is something to deal with. He's a big, big man. We have to have a tackling plan. That was a lot of our conversation today and we all know about the 99-yard run and the missed tackles and that play," former Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash said in 2019 when the two teams faced off again.

"What they do is they get him on space. They get his big body on some of our smaller guys, corners and safeties and stuff like that. We have to do what we can scheme-wise to try and keep him between the tackles. They do a nice job in the running game and it sets up all the play action for Mariota. Obviously our linebackers have to be disciplined and really feel what's going on, so they can play some of those play action shots that we are going to see."

Did the Jaguars show the 99-yard run again during the Marrone/Wash era? Not exactly.

"No. We don't need to watch that again. I see it on NFL Network all the time," Wash said in 2019.

"My wife always brings it up. [She says] that wasn't a very good play, so I'm like, 'Mr. Obvious, right?' No. They have seen it before. The bottom line is he made a play."

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