Henry Earns First Pro Bowl Invitation

Punter Brett Kern named to the AFC roster for the third consecutive year

Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – Derrick Henry served notice last December that he could produce like the best running backs in the game.

This December, he was recognized as one of the best in the game.

Henry was one of two Tennessee Titans named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday. The honor is the first for the 2015 second-round who is the team’s leading rusher for the third consecutive season. He is second in the conference and the NFL with a career-high 1,329 rushing yards and leads the AFC with 13 rushing touchdowns.

Punter Brett Kern also was named voted to the Pro Bowl. It is Kern’s third straight selection.

Pro Bowl players were determined by players, coaches and fans votes, each of which counted equally. Kern was first in fan voting among all AFC punters. Henry was sixth, as were safety Kevin Byard and cornerback Logan Ryan.

The Titans were one of 24 teams that had multiple players among the 88 total selections.

Henry finished second in the AFC last season with 1,059 rushing yards, a majority of which came in the December, when he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month and set the stage for what was to come. He ran for 625 yards in the final four games beginning with a franchise single-game record of 238 (on 17 carries) against Jacksonville.

This season, he has rushed for 100 yards or more five times, including four straight from Nov. 10 through Dec. 8, and has scored at least one rushing touchdown in 10 of 14 contests. He is the first Titans player since Chris Johnson to rush for at least 1,300 yards in a season.

He leads all running backs with 38 carries of 10 yards or more and leads the league with three touchdowns on plays of 65 yards or more (74 and 68-yard rushes, a 75-yard reception).

“It’s a blessing to be nominated to the Pro Bowl and I’m excited to represent the Titans in Orlando,” Henry told the Titans’ website.

Kern leads the NFL with 34 punts downed inside the 20, which is more than half his total punts for the season. His eight punts inside the 20, Oct. 13 at Denver, tied an NFL record.

He leads the AFC with an average of 47.5 yards per punt and has hit 28 of 50 yards or more. His net punting average, 43.6 yards, is second in the conference.

“I just feel extremely blessed,” Kern told the team’s website. “It took me 10 years to get one and now to go to three in a row, I still have to pinch myself. It is just a testament to the guys that have been on punt team this year – those guys have done a really good job, so it’s a team effort.”

The 2020 Pro Bowl will take place 2 p.m. (CST), Jan. 26.