The name “Chris Henry” most commonly refers to Chris Henry Sr., the late Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, but there’s also rising football prospect Chris Henry Jr. (his son) and another NFL running back with the same name, so it’s important to clarify which one is meant in a given context.

Chris Henry Sr. – Bengals WR (1983–2009)

Christopher Henry was an American football wide receiver who played five seasons (2005–2009) with the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL. He was known for his speed, big-play ability, and deep-threat role, but his career was also marked by off‑field legal issues and a tragic early death.

  • College & Draft:
    Henry played at West Virginia University, where he was Big East Freshman of the Year in 2003 and finished his career with 1,878 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. He entered the 2005 NFL Draft and was selected by the Bengals in the 3rd round (83rd overall).
  • NFL Career (Bengals) :
    Over five seasons, Henry had 197 receptions for 2,758 yards and 27 touchdowns, averaging about 14.0 yards per catch. He was a key part of the Bengals’ offense in the mid‑2000s, including a memorable 66‑yard catch in the 2005 playoffs.
  • Legal Issues & Suspension:
    Henry had multiple arrests, including for marijuana possession (2005), gun charges in Florida (2006), and assault (2008), which led to suspensions and time away from the team. The Bengals waived him in 2008 after the assault incident, but he was later reinstated and returned to play in 2009.
  • Death & Legacy:
    Henry died on December 17, 2009, at age 26, after falling from the back of a moving pickup truck following a domestic dispute with his fiancée. An autopsy later revealed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), making him one of the first active NFL players diagnosed with the condition posthumously.

Chris Henry Jr. – Ohio State WR (b. 2006)

Chris Henry Jr. is the son of the late Bengals receiver and is now a top college football prospect himself. He’s drawing attention as a five‑star wide receiver committed to Ohio State.

  • High School Career :
    Henry Jr. played at West Clermont (Ohio), then Withrow High School in Cincinnati, where he set a school record with 1,127 receiving yards as a sophomore. He later transferred to Mater Dei High School in California, but his junior season was cut short by a knee injury.
  • Recruiting & College:
    A highly touted five‑star recruit, Henry Jr. signed with Ohio State in December 2025, choosing the Buckeyes over schools like Oregon. He’s seen as a potential NFL prospect in the future, continuing his father’s football legacy.

Chris Henry (Running Back)

There’s also another NFL player named Chris Henry, a running back who played in the late 2000s:

  • Played college football at the University of Arizona and was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 2nd round (50th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.
  • His NFL career was brief: he played for the Titans, Houston Texans, and Seattle Seahawks, but injuries and a suspension for violating the substance‑abuse policy limited his playing time.

Quick Scoop (TL;DR)

  • Chris Henry Sr. was a Bengals WR (2005–2009) who died in 2009; later found to have CTE.
  • Chris Henry Jr. is his son, a five‑star WR who signed with Ohio State in 2025.
  • Another Chris Henry was a Titans RB drafted in 2007, with a short NFL stint.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.