Eric Henderson
Encyclopedia
Eric Charles Henderson is an American football
defensive end
for the Las Vegas Locomotives
of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
at Georgia Tech
.
, Henderson set a Georgia Tech record with 59.5 tackles-for-loss
(TFL), and he ranks fourth in school history in sacks
(25). He had a breakout sophomore season in 2003, starting all 13 games and earning first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors with 11 sacks and 24 TFL. He earned second-team All-ACC nods as both a junior and a senior. As a senior he led the team with six sacks, despite missing four games with an ankle injury, and caused four fumbles on those sacks. He helped the Tech defense rank in the Top 25 nationally in seven categories in 2005, and he was a key performer as Tech upset No. 3 Miami Hurricanes football team
, holding the Hurricanes to 30 yards rushing. In his first game back from his ankle injury in 2005, he played a key role in a 10-9 win over Clemson
and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the third time in his career. He played four seasons at Tech (2002–05), with a redshirt
year in 2001. On January 21, 2006, he played in East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio, Texas
.
. He was waived on September 2, 2006 and then signed September 4 to the Bengals practice squad where he spent the full season.
Henderson played in all four preseason games in 2006, recording five total tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Henderson did not earn an accrued year of experience toward NFL free agency in 2006 because he was not on an NFL 53-player roster, a Reserve/Injured list
, or a Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list
for the required minimum of six games. On January 2, 2007, he was signed to Bengals offseason roster.
Henderson spent the first seven weeks if the 2008 season on the Bengals' practice squad. He was signed to the active roster on October 24 after fullback
Reagan Maui'a was placed on injured reserve
. On December 10, Henderson was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a neck injury. He finished the 2008 season with two tackles in two games.
The Bengals released Henderson on April 27, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
College career
While playing for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football teamGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Henderson set a Georgia Tech record with 59.5 tackles-for-loss
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
(TFL), and he ranks fourth in school history in sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
(25). He had a breakout sophomore season in 2003, starting all 13 games and earning first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors with 11 sacks and 24 TFL. He earned second-team All-ACC nods as both a junior and a senior. As a senior he led the team with six sacks, despite missing four games with an ankle injury, and caused four fumbles on those sacks. He helped the Tech defense rank in the Top 25 nationally in seven categories in 2005, and he was a key performer as Tech upset No. 3 Miami Hurricanes football team
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, holding the Hurricanes to 30 yards rushing. In his first game back from his ankle injury in 2005, he played a key role in a 10-9 win over Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the third time in his career. He played four seasons at Tech (2002–05), with a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
year in 2001. On January 21, 2006, he played in East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Pre-draft
Eric Henderson measure 6-1⅞ and 270 pounds and bench-pressed 225 pound 30 times and ran a 4.73 forty-yard dash. He has a 430-pound bench press and a 32-inch vertical leap to his credit.Cincinnati Bengals
Henderson missed seven games with injuries over his final two seasons at Georgia Tech, hurting his chances of being drafted, but he signed with the Bengals on May 9, 2006 as college free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was waived on September 2, 2006 and then signed September 4 to the Bengals practice squad where he spent the full season.
Henderson played in all four preseason games in 2006, recording five total tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. Henderson did not earn an accrued year of experience toward NFL free agency in 2006 because he was not on an NFL 53-player roster, a Reserve/Injured list
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
, or a Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list
Physically Unable to Perform
Players can be labeled Physically Unable to Perform in the National Football League if they suffer from football-related injuries during the preseason...
for the required minimum of six games. On January 2, 2007, he was signed to Bengals offseason roster.
Henderson spent the first seven weeks if the 2008 season on the Bengals' practice squad. He was signed to the active roster on October 24 after fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Reagan Maui'a was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. On December 10, Henderson was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a neck injury. He finished the 2008 season with two tackles in two games.
The Bengals released Henderson on April 27, 2009.