John Henderson, a former defensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has been inducted into the University of Tennessee athletics hall of fame, making him one of the team’s greatest defensive linemen in franchise history. John Henderson, a Nashville native and outstanding interior defender, was named to the first team of the All-America team in both his junior and senior seasons after he played explosively off the defensive line. He won the Outland Trophy, was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000—a year in which Tennessee set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed with 817—the university noted in a statement.
“That season, Henderson tallied 64 tackles, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 12 sacks, which at the time ranked third in UT single-season history. He was an Outland Trophy finalist and a Lombardi Award semifinalist in 2001 despite a lingering ankle injury as he helped lead the Vols to the SEC Eastern Division title. He capped his career, earning Defensive MVP honors with six tackles in a 45-17 victory over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. A two-time first-team All-SEC recipient, Henderson finished his career with 162 total tackles and 20.5 sacks, which still ranks seventh in UT annals. Henderson was selected with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played 10 total NFL seasons and was a two-time Pro Bowler.”
The induction ceremony is scheduled on April 26, and the school reports that this year’s Hall of Fame weekend will run from April 26 to April 27. Alongside Marcus Stroud, Henderson served as the cornerstone of the Jaguars’ defense in the early 2000s. Henderson was listed as the tenth-best player in team history in 2019. “He was the defensive tackle combination’s other half. Henderson was unstoppable in 2007. Vic Ketchman stated, “It was probably the best defensive lineman performance in Jaguars history.”
Henderson spent eight seasons in Jacksonville after the Jaguars took him with the No. 9 overall pick in 2002. He played in 124 games for the Jaguars, starting 120 and recording 426 tackles, 58 tackles for loss, 29 sacks, and eight forced fumbles.
