January 1st, 2006. The Cincinnati Bengals made the playoffs for the first time in 15 years and went into the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with high hopes. But eventually lost 31-17. However, even in that loss, an unknown 3rd round pick, rookie wide receiver Chris Henry, quietly came onto the field with Carson Palmer as the Bengals’ QB. The WR finished the game with 66 receiving yards for a single catch. But the catch? It was spectacular.
It was a 66-yard screamer on the first drive of the game from Palmer as Henry plucked the ball in the air like gliding in zero gravity. The play was complete, but Palmer was down, holding his knee and aching from pain. Palmer never made it back on the field in the game as the Steelers’ offensive onslaught pushed them to defeat. To this day, the Bengals fans still ask, ‘What if?‘ and reminisce about the moment and the brilliance of the receiver. Chris Henry? Well, his career was short but momentous. He finished with 1,826 yards with the Bengals before his tragic death in 2009. But now? His son is at Ohio State trying to carry his rich legacy forward.
Chris Henry Jr., being a 5-star-rated wide receiver of the 2026 class, had more than 35 teams after him. The names included giants like Oregon, Miami, and Ohio State. But Brian Hartline’s recruitment came up trumps, and Henry Jr. committed way back in July 2023. The hype was high, and expectations were touching the skies. After all, the 6’6″ and 195 lb. QB was the MaxPreps Freshman All-American in 2022, playing for Santa Ana, California. But if you ask Henry Jr., his father’s name does help, but he wants to carve out his own legacy independent of the existing hype.
Chris Henry Jr. sat on the 23rd May episode of ‘The Pivot Podcast’ and answered as to how he plans to move forward at OSU, continuing his father’s legacy. “Having that name just allows me to connect with a certain type of people, like high-class athletes, elite athletes, just having that name. But for me, it’s just like I want to build my own legacy, and just having my dad, it’s not really like a shadow. It’s just like a blessing to have that legacy. But, you know, really for me, I just look at it as a blessing.” Well, the sky is the limit for the QB at Ohio State.
Ohio State is coming off a national championship and will have that winner’s mentality and confidence for some years now. The 2026 class that Ryan Day has roped in is a testament to that. The class already has 13 commits and is ranked 3rd nationally with 5-star prospects like Blaine Bradford (safety) and Chris Henry Jr. himself. Moreover, Henry will thrive under Brian Hartline, who helped Jeremiah Smith wow the footballing world with his breathtaking performances in 2024. So, Chris Henry Jr. is coming to the best place he can be, and with a future 5-star QB like Tavien St. Clair in the pipeline, Henry Jr. sure will have all the help he will need.
Moments that followed Chris Henry Sr’s tragic death
Chris Henry Jr.’s father’s NFL career could have taken off gradually, but before that could happen, a tragedy struck. His teammate and receiver Chad Ochocinco even said that “he was doing everything right.” The tragedy was the result of an alleged domestic dispute, which was followed by a tragic accident in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was reported that on December 16, 2009, Henry had an altercation with his fiancée, Loleini Tonga, at her parents’ home. The local police at the time reported that Henry jumped off the pickup truck that Tonga was driving after attempting to stop her from leaving.
Hardy, Chris Henry’s neighbor, told a local newspaper about the whole incident. “He said, ‘If you take off, I’m going to jump off the truck and kill myself.” Another neighbor who dialed 911 that day had her tape to the police reported by the media. “It’s got a black man on it with no shirt on, and he’s got his arm in a cast and black pants on… He’s beating on the back of this truck window. … I don’t know if he’s trying to break in or something. It just looks crazy. It’s a girl driving it.”
Chris Henry’s death at the time was shocking and sent shockwaves through the footballing world. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell paid his condolences and assured Chris’ family of his support. Carson Palmer even dedicated the whole season to Chris Henry, and the Bengals’ season went with pouring tributes game after game for him. Henry’s death was tragic, and it shows how unexpected life can be. But now his son Chris Jr. is doing all he can to carry on Henry Sr.’s legacy and probably even trying to do better than him. Honestly, we all want the guy to succeed and etch his name in Ohio State’s history books.
The post 16 Years After Losing His Father to Tragedy, OSU’s Chris Henry Jr. Makes Emotional Admission About His Football Legacy: ‘It’s a Blessing’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.