Chris Henry

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Henry died on December 17, 2009, when he fell out the back of a moving truck after having a domestic dispute with his fiancée. An autopsy revealed that Henry had developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) during his playing career due to repetitive hits to the head. Because CTE can only be definitively diagnosed in an autopsy and Henry was still active in the NFL when he died, Henry was among the first active players to be diagnosed with CTE posthumously.

In Their Own Story

Henry's NFL debut occurred on September 18, 2005, against the Minnesota Vikings. In his rookie season, he caught 31 passes for 422 yards and six touchdowns. A defining moment came in the Bengals' first playoff game in fifteen years against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he secured a 66-yard reception on the second play from scrimmage; however, both he and quarterback Carson Palmer suffered knee injuries on that specific play. His second season saw him tally 605 yards on 36 receptions with nine touchdowns. He recorded five receptions for 113 yards against the Cleveland Browns and scored two touchdowns in a game against Pittsburgh. Despite his talent, off-field issues plagued his career. In December 2007, he was suspended for eight games in 2008 after violating the NFL's personal conduct policy following an arrest where he punched Gregory Meyer and threw a beer bottle through a car window. He returned to play in 2008 but was placed on injured reserve in November 2009 with a broken forearm.

Reader's Guide

Henry was born to Carolyn Lee and David Henry in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. He attended Belle Chasse High School where he was named New Orleans small schools offensive player of the year during his senior year. He enrolled at West Virginia University in 2002, redshirting his first season. In 2003, he earned Big East Conference freshman of the year and All-Big East second-team honors. His best game was a career-high performance of 209 yards and two touchdowns against Syracuse. In 2004, he started seven games and caught 52 passes for 872 yards with 12 touchdowns. He entered the 2005 NFL draft after the Gator Bowl. Henry was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. He made his NFL debut on September 18, 2005, against the Minnesota Vikings. In his rookie season, he amassed 31 receptions for 422 yards and six touchdowns. In his second season, Henry totaled 605 yards on 36 receptions for nine touchdowns. He was suspended for eight games in 2007 for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Following his arrest in April 2008, Henry was waived by the Bengals. He was re-signed on August 18, 2008, and finished the 2008 season with 19 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He was placed on injured reserve in November 2009 after suffering a broken forearm.

Did You Know?

• Henry's 1,878 career receiving yards is eighth most in school history, while his 93 receptions are the 14th most.
• His 22 touchdown receptions are second most in school history.
• Henry's six career 100-yard receiving games is tied for third most in school history.
• He was the third player in Mountaineers' history to average more than twenty yards per catch for his career.