OWINGS MILLS, Md. – It was only the Baltimore Ravens’ second practice of training camp, and running back Derrick Henry heard the same question he’s been asked since his 30th birthday in January: How much does his age serve as motivation?

Henry replied that he would “let my piece speak for my age.”

Two months later, Henry is setting numbers that Walter Payton and Adrian Peterson last achieved at his age. Through four games, Henry leads the NFL with 480 rushing yards. His rise to power in Baltimore’s offense has put the Ravens, who were 0-2 before wins over the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, back on track as Super Bowl contenders.

Henry has embraced the age of 30 like another budding tackler, imbuing him with a dedication that teammates and coaches admire. His on-field performance comes from his work ethic on the practice field, off-season training and a strict diet.

“He’s a very hard-working person,” Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley said. “He knows everything he needs to do to play at this level. And he never misses a day. He’s just always working.”

After spending eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Henry sees his first year with Baltimore as a new era. But Henry looks like the same playmaker, running over defenders with his 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame and then outrunning them at a speed rare for someone his size and age.

In Sunday’s 35-10 win over the Bills, Henry’s 199 yards rushing were the most by a player 30 or older since Peterson in 2015. On the first play of the game – which the Ravens call the “Red Crunch” – Henry went untouched for a while 87 -yard touchdown with a top speed of 21.29 mph.

According to ESPN Research, Henry, who ran for 151 yards against the Cowboys, and Payton are the only players age 30 or older to rush for more than 150 yards in consecutive games since 1970. It’s Henry’s second-best start to the season since 2021, when he ran for 510 yards in the first four games.

“He’s a great player, future Hall of Famer,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said after Sunday’s game. “Give him his honor.”

Henry’s age was probably a deciding factor in him ending up in Baltimore. He stayed on the free-agent market longer than expected, watching 10 other – and younger – running backs sign deals in the first two days of the NFL’s negotiating window.

The Ravens, who didn’t have much salary cap space, were able to sign Henry to a two-year, $16 million contract. His guaranteed money of $9 million was behind that of five running backs who signed free agent contracts this year: Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley ($26 million), Chicago Bears’ D’Andre Swift (15, $3 million) and Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers ($12.5 million), Tony Pollard of the Tennessee Titans ($10.49 million) and Devin Singletary of the New York Giants ($9, 5 million US dollars).

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Monday that the team doesn’t view signing Henry as very risky despite his age.

“He’s just a very tough person,” Harbaugh said. “Really, the proof is in the results, and you assume what you see. So when we looked at the possibility of bringing him here, I think we just looked at how he played. And to see how it goes.” Of course it’s great, but we expected him to play like that.

The Ravens were equally impressed with what they saw with Henry outside of the frame. He rarely missed a day during spring training, and when he was away, he would text running backs coach Willie Taggart about what he missed. Henry is one of the first starters on the practice field every day, running his own drills while Baltimore works on special teams on another field.

Outside of the facility, Henry is estimated to spend nearly $250,000 a year on personal care, from personal chefs to saunas to massage therapy. He decided to spend so much after learning that LeBron James invests over $1 million annually to maintain his body.

“I don’t really try to focus on the stigma of running backs,” Henry said. “I just believe in my training and the player I am and just try to do everything and help this team in any way I can.”

When Henry arrived in Baltimore, there was uncertainty about production levels. He is coming off a season in which he recorded 68.6 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry, both of which were his lowest marks since 2018.

But last season, Henry played behind a struggling Titans offensive line. His average of 1.95 rushing yards before first contact ranked 35th in the NFL.

After the Ravens’ revamped offensive line found its footing in Week 3 this season, Henry has found some running lanes. His average of 3.84 yards from first contact with Baltimore ranks fourth in the league.

“The reality is he doesn’t need a lot of room to run,” Ravens offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten said. “If you give him a little space, he’ll take advantage of it.”

Henry’s NFL-leading 480 yards rushing are the most in the first four weeks of a season by a player 30 or older in two decades. Former New York Jets running back Curtis Martin recorded 502 yards rushing through the first four weeks of the 2004 season.

When the Ravens visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday (1 p.m. ET), Henry will also be on the sidelines. He needs 18 yards to become the 32nd player to reach 10,000 yards in his career.

The Ravens view Henry’s physicality as part of their offensive identity and believe it is contagious.

“It makes you want to play harder,” Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard said. “It makes you want to block as hard as you can just because you know (Henry) is going to gain a few yards every time he gets the ball. He’s not called ‘King Henry’ for nothing.”