 Henderson leading warm-ups ahead of the 2024Vegas Kickoff Classic | |||||
| USC Trojans | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Co-defensive coordinator,defensive line coach & run game coordinator | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | (1983-01-08)January 8, 1983 (age 42) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Weight | 256 lb (116 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school | Edna Karr (New Orleans, Louisiana) | ||||
| College | Georgia Tech | ||||
| NFL draft | 2006: undrafted | ||||
| Career history | |||||
Playing | |||||
Coaching | |||||
| |||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||
| |||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||
| |||||
Eric Charles Henderson (born January 8, 1983) is an Americanfootball coach who is the co-defensive coordinator,defensive line coach, and run game coordinator for theUSC Trojans of theBig Ten Conference (NCAA). He previously served as an assistant coach for theLos Angeles Rams.
Henderson playedcollege football atGeorgia Tech as adefensive end and was signed by theCincinnati Bengals as anundrafted free agent in 2006 and played professionally for six seasons.
While playing for theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Henderson set a team career record with 59.5tackles-for-loss (TFL), and he ranks fourth in school history insacks (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 fourfumbles 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. 3Miami, 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 overClemson and was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the third time in his career. He played four seasons at Georgia Tech (2002–05), with aredshirt year in 2001.[1]
Eric Henderson measured 6 feet1+7⁄8 inches (1.876 m) tall and weighed 270 pounds (120 kg) and bench-pressed 225 pound 30 times and ran a 4.73[clarification needed] forty-yard dash. He has a 441-pound (200 kg) bench press and a 32-inch (810 mm) vertical leap to his credit.[2]
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 ascollege free agent. He was waived on September 2, 2006 and then signed September 4 to the Bengalspractice 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, aReserve/Injured list, or aReserve/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 of the 2008 season on the Bengals' practice squad. He was signed to the active roster on October 24 afterfullbackReagan Maui'a was placed oninjured 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.
Following his NFL career, Henderson spent three seasons (2009–11) with theLas Vegas Locomotives of theUnited Football League, helping the team win a pair of league championships.
In 2012, Henderson segued into coaching as a defensive assistant atGeorgia Military College, where he worked with the outside linebackers and secondary. Henderson helped coach the Bulldogs to a 7–4 record and an appearance in theC.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl.
In 2013, Henderson moved on toOklahoma State, where he spent two seasons (2013–14) as a graduate assistant and a third (2015) as a defensive quality control coach. During his three years in Stillwater, the Cowboys went 27-12 and made three bowl appearances. Henderson helped tutor defensive endEmmanuel Ogbah, who earned All-America accolades; was named Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, and was drafted in the second round of the2016 NFL draft (32nd overall) by theCleveland Browns.
Henderson spent the 2016 season as the defensive line coach atTexas-San Antonio. The Roadrunners went 6-6 during the regular season before facingNew Mexico in theGildan New Mexico Bowl.
In 2017, Henderson was hired theLos Angeles Chargers to serve as their assistant defensive line coach under head coachAnthony Lynn. During his two seasons with the Chargers, he worked withPro Bowl defensive endsJoey Bosa andMelvin Ingram.
In 2019, Henderson was hired by theLos Angeles Rams to serve as their defensive line coach under head coachSean McVay.[3] In February 2021, Henderson was named run game coordinator while retaining his defensive line coaching duties.[4][5] Henderson became aSuper Bowl champion when the Rams defeated theCincinnati Bengals inSuper Bowl LVI.[6]
On January 15, 2024, it was announced that Henderson would join theUSC Trojans football staff under head coachLincoln Riley. Henderson will hold the multiple responsibilities of co-defensive coordinator, run game coordinator, and defensive line coach.[7]
While at Georgia Tech, Henderson earned abachelor's degree in management and is working toward amaster's degree in educational psychology. He is married with one daughter.