Position: Defensive Tackle
Years: 1999-2001
Place of Birth: Nashville, Tennessee
Date of Birth: Jan. 9, 1979
Jersey Number: 98
Height: 6-7
Weight: 335
High School: Pearl-Cohn Comprehensive (Nashville, TN)
A dominant force in the trenches as a defensive tackle at Tennessee, John Henderson possessed a rare combination of size, power, and agility that made him a nightmare for opposing offenses. The Nashville, Tennessee, native now becomes the 23rd Vol player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time consensus First Team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player the same year. A two-time First Team All-SEC pick (2000-01), Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Vols made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned Outstanding Defensive Player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year rank third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 TFL, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program's all-time greats.
Selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and Second Team All-Pro honors in 2006.
Henderson was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
