“I’d Rather Sit the Entire Season Than Play One Minute With Him” – Derrick Henry Publicly Demolishes Lamar Jackson, Demands Trade or Refusal to Play
Derrick Henry detonated a nuclear bomb inside the Baltimore Ravens locker room late Friday night, going public with an explosive, unprecedented attack on his own quarterback Lamar Jackson and declaring he will refuse to take another snap if the situation doesn’t change immediately.
In a 7-minute Instagram Live viewed by over 42 million people in the first hour, the 31-year-old running back – who signed a 2-year, $32 million deal with Baltimore this offseason – did not hold back:
“I’d rather sit on the bench the entire season than play with him for even one minute. Every time I see him on the field, I feel like I’m betraying my career and my honor.”
Henry’s rage stems from the Ravens’ humiliating 14-32 Thanksgiving loss to the Bengals, where Jackson committed four turnovers, including two fumbles that killed drives and an interception returned for a touchdown.
But the breaking point came after the game when Jackson allegedly refused to take accountability in the locker room, reportedly telling teammates, “Y’all didn’t block anyway – not all on me.”
Henry, who rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns despite the loss, erupted:
“He throws us under the bus every time he screws up. I came here to win a ring, not to babysit a quarterback who thinks he’s above the team.”
The two-time rushing champion then dropped the ultimatum heard around the NFL:
“Trade me or bench me. I’m not doing this anymore. I’m not sacrificing my legacy for someone who doesn’t respect the jersey.”
Within 30 minutes, #TradeHenry and #DerrickVsLamar were the top two worldwide trends, generating 2.8 billion impressions.
Head coach John Harbaugh was forced into emergency damage control, holding an unscheduled team meeting at 1 a.m. Friday and personally addressing both players separately until 4 a.m.
Sources inside the facility say Harbaugh begged Henry to stay, promising “accountability changes,” while Jackson left the building without speaking to media or teammates.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, who has remained silent on recent controversies, is reportedly “livid” and has scheduled crisis talks with GM Eric DeCosta for Saturday morning.
Henry doubled down on X at 3:17 a.m.:
“I said what I said. Respect is earned, not given. I’ve carried teams my whole career. I’m not carrying excuses anymore.”
The locker room is reportedly split:
Veterans like Roquan Smith and Mark Andrews have privately sided with Henry Younger players remain loyal to Jackson Offensive linemen have stayed neutral but are “furious” about being publicly blamed
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Henry has already instructed his agent, Jimmy Sexton, to explore trade options, with the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers believed to be monitoring the situation.
Henry’s trade value remains sky-high: 1,540 rushing yards and 17 TDs in 2025 so far, on pace for another 2,000-yard season.
Jackson has not responded publicly, but a source close to the QB told NFL Network: “Lamar’s hurt. He feels like the whole city turned on him in one night.”
The Ravens (6-6) face the Pittsburgh Steelers in nine days in a game that could decide the AFC North. Without Henry, Baltimore’s run game would collapse overnight.
John Harbaugh addressed the media at 10 a.m. Saturday, voice hoarse:
“This is family. Families fight. We will fix this internally. Both players are Ravens, and both will be here Monday.”
But league insiders are already calling it “the most explosive teammate-on-teammate feud since Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb.”
As of Saturday afternoon:
Henry has unfollowed the Ravens’ official account His jersey is the #1 searched item on NFL Shop (people buying in support) Sportsbooks have moved Baltimore from -3 to +6.5 against Pittsburgh
One thing is crystal clear: Derrick Henry just drew a line in the sand. And the Baltimore Ravens have nine days to choose which superstar they can afford to lose.
The AFC North – and the entire NFL – has never been this chaotic.
