**Derrick Henry Breaks the Silence on the Chaos Inside Baltimore After John Harbaughâs Firing â and Hints a Ravens Superstar Could Be Next to Leave**

*January 09, 2026 â Baltimore, MD*
In a candid and emotional interview that has sent shockwaves through the NFL world, Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has finally spoken out about the turmoil inside the locker room following the abrupt firing of longtime head coach John Harbaugh on January 6, 2026.
The four-time Pro Bowl rusher, who joined the Ravens in 2024 and became a cornerstone of their offense, described a franchise in disarray, with fractured trust, low morale, and growing uncertainty about the future of several key players â including one of Baltimoreâs biggest superstars.
Henryâs comments, made during a 30-minute sit-down with ESPNâs Stephen A. Smith that aired last night, mark the first time a current Ravens player has publicly addressed the fallout from Harbaughâs dismissal. âItâs been tough, man,â Henry began, his voice heavy.
âCoach Harbs was more than a coach to a lot of us. He was family. When that news dropped, it didnât just shake the coaching staff â it hit the locker room like a truck.â
The Ravens finished the 2025 season 8-9, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021 after a heartbreaking Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a missed field goal.
Owner Steve Bisciotti cited âthe need for a new voiceâ in his statement announcing Harbaughâs departure after 18 seasons, one Super Bowl title (2012), and a franchise-record 193 total victories. But Henry painted a far more chaotic picture behind the scenes.
According to the 32-year-old powerhouse, the decision blindsided most players. âWe found out the same way everybody else did â through notifications on our phones,â Henry revealed. âNo heads-up, no meeting, nothing. Guys were in shock. Some were crying in the facility that day.
It fractured trust, not just with the front office, but with the whole organization.â
Henry went on to describe a locker room divided. Veterans who had spent their entire careers under Harbaugh struggled to process the change, while younger players worried about stability. âYou start hearing whispers,â Henry said. âGuys talking about their contracts, their futures.
When you lose that leader whoâs been there through everything, people start thinking about protecting themselves.â
The most explosive part of the interview came when Henry hinted that the firing could trigger a wave of departures â and that one of Baltimoreâs biggest stars might be the next to go.
While he stopped short of naming names, sources close to the team and NFL insiders immediately pointed to quarterback Lamar Jackson as the most likely candidate.
Jackson, the 2019 and 2023 MVP, is entering the fourth year of his five-year, $260 million extension signed in 2023. He has a no-trade clause and significant leverage. Henryâs comments fueled speculation that the two-time MVP could request a trade if the new coaching hire doesnât align with his vision.
âSome guys are already thinking about whatâs next,â Henry said carefully. âWhen you have a superstar whoâs carried this franchise, and things feel unstable⊠yeah, people talk. Iâm not saying anyoneâs leaving, but the doorâs open now. Trust is broken, and in this league, that changes everything.â
âI came here to win a ring with this group,â he said. âNow everything feels uncertain.
The Ravens have already begun their head coaching search, with early reports linking them to defensive-minded candidates like Detroit Lions coordinator Aaron Glenn, former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, and Dallas Cowboys assistant Brian Schottenheimer.
Bisciotti and GM Eric DeCosta have emphasized finding someone who can âmaximize Lamarâ and restore a championship culture.
Yet Henry suggested the damage may already be done. âPlayers talk to agents, agents talk to other teams,â he explained. âWhen trust gets fractured at the top, it trickles down fast. Iâve seen it before in Tennessee. You lose one big piece, and suddenly others start looking around.â
Jackson has remained silent publicly since the firing, liking only a few supportive posts on social media.
His mother and manager, Felicia Jones, posted a cryptic message on Instagram: âLoyalty goes both ways.â Teammates like Mark Andrews and Roquan Smith have expressed support for Harbaugh but stopped short of commenting on their own futures.
Henry praised Harbaughâs impact, calling him âthe best leader Iâve ever played for.â He recounted stories of the coachâs intense preparation, personal investment in playersâ lives, and unwavering belief in the team. âHe held us accountable but always had our backs,â Henry said. âLosing that⊠itâs hard to replace.â
The running back also addressed rumors of locker room division during the season, admitting late losses created frustration but insisting the group remained united under Harbaugh. âWe fought for him every week,â Henry said. âThatâs why this hurts so much.â
As Baltimore enters an uncertain offseason, Henryâs revelations have amplified concerns about a potential exodus. Defensive star Marlon Humphrey and veteran offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley are also entering contract years, while several free agents may test the market earlier than expected.
NFL analysts reacted swiftly. Fox Sportsâ Colin Cowherd called it âthe beginning of the end for this Ravens era,â while ESPNâs Dan Orlovsky warned that losing Jackson would set the franchise back a decade. âIf Lamar even thinks about leaving, every contender will be calling,â Orlovsky said.
Henry concluded the interview on a hopeful but cautious note. âI love Baltimore. I love the fans, the city, my teammates. I want to finish what we started. But right now, thereâs a lot of healing that needs to happen. And some tough conversations.â
The Ravens organization declined to comment on Henryâs remarks, issuing only a brief statement reaffirming commitment to âbuilding a championship-caliber team.â Head coaching interviews are expected to begin next week.
For a franchise long defined by stability under Harbaugh, Henryâs words paint a picture of fragility. The firing intended to spark renewal may instead ignite departure. And with one superstar potentially on the brink, Baltimoreâs offseason suddenly feels far more perilous than anyone imagined.
As the NFL world digests Henryâs bombshell, one thing is clear: the chaos inside the Ravens locker room is far from over. And the next move â whether itâs a coaching hire or a star playerâs decision â could redefine the franchise for years to come.