View source for Chris Henry (wide receiver)

{{Short description|American football player (1983–2009)}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Chris Henry
| number      = 15
| image       = Chrishenry.jpg
| caption     = Henry in 2008
| position    = [[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1983|5|17}}
| birth_place = [[Belle Chasse, Louisiana]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2009|12|17|1983|5|17}}
| death_place = [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 4
| weight_lbs  = 200
| high_school = [[Belle Chasse High School|Belle Chasse]] (LA)
| college     = [[West Virginia Mountaineers football|West Virginia]] (2002–2004)
| draftyear   = 2005
| draftround  = 3
| draftpick   = 83
| pastteams   =
* [[Cincinnati Bengals]] ({{NFL Year|2005}}–{{NFL Year|2009}})
| highlights  =
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (American football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 119
| statlabel2  = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue2  = 1,826
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 21
| pfr         = H/HenrCh00 
}}
'''Christopher Henry''' (May 17, 1983 – December 17, 2009) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[wide receiver]] for five seasons with the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[West Virginia Mountaineers football|West Virginia Mountaineers]] and was selected by the Bengals in the third round of the [[2005 NFL draft]].

Henry died on December 17, 2009, when he fell out the back of a moving truck after having a domestic dispute with his fiancée. An autopsy revealed that Henry had developed [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]] (CTE) during his playing career due to repetitive hits to the head.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5333971|title=Researchers find brain trauma in Henry|date=June 27, 2010 }}</ref> Because CTE can only be definitively diagnosed in an autopsy and Henry was still active in the NFL when he died, Henry represented the first case where an active player had died and could be diagnosed with CTE.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Schwarz|first1=Alan|title=Former Bengal Henry Found to Have Had Brain Damage|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/sports/football/29henry.html|access-date=September 22, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=June 28, 2010}}</ref>

==Early life==
{{Unsourced BLP section|date=May 2025}}
Henry was born to Carolyn Lee and David Henry in [[Belle Chasse, Louisiana]]. He attended Belle Chasse High School where he was named [[New Orleans]] small schools offensive player of the year during his senior year. During that season the Fighting Cardinals made it to the Louisiana AAA State championship game, which was played at the [[Louisiana Superdome]]. Henry also excelled in [[basketball]] and [[Track and field|track]].

==College career==
Henry enrolled at [[West Virginia University]] in 2002, spending his first season as a [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirt]]. In 2003, he earned [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East Conference]] freshman of the year<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2009/12/henry_rocked_the_carrier_dome.html|title=Chris Henry rocked the Carrier Dome in 2003 as a West Virginia freshman receiver|work=syracuse.com|access-date=September 29, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> and All-Big East second-team honors for catching 41 passes and gaining 1,006&nbsp;yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. He also became the second player in school history to record over 1,000 receiving&nbsp;yards in one season (behind [[David Saunders (American football player)|David Saunders]]), and his 24.5&nbsp;yards per reception are the third most in a season in school history.<ref>[http://www.wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcypr WVU Career Yards Per Reception<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106024229/http://wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcypr |date=November 6, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= USA TODAY Article Chris Henry, WR, West Virginia|author=USA TODAY|newspaper= USA TODAY|date=May 18, 2005|url= https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/2005draft/Henry,Chris-WR-West%20Virginia.htm|access-date=December 21, 2009}}</ref> Henry's best game was a career-high performance of 209&nbsp;yards and two touchdowns against [[Syracuse Orange football|Syracuse]]. His career-long reception came against [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Rutgers]] that season, an 83-yard reception.

In 2004, Henry started seven games and caught 52 passes for 872&nbsp;yards with 12 touchdowns. After catching three passes in a 30–18 loss to [[Florida State Seminoles football|Florida State]] in the 2005 [[Gator Bowl]], Henry announced that he would enter the [[2005 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6776233/site/21683474/ |title=West Virginia's Henry to enter NFL draft |access-date=July 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008011718/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6776233/site/21683474/ |archive-date=October 8, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During Henry's [[Sophomore year|sophomore]] season, he was ejected from a game at [[Rutgers University]] due to multiple [[unsportsmanlike conduct]] penalties and was suspended for the season finale against the [[University of Pittsburgh]]. His former [[West Virginia Mountaineers|Mountaineers]] coach, [[Rich Rodriguez]], stated that he was "an embarrassment to himself and the program" for his conduct.<ref name="HP_121609">{{cite news|title=Chris Henry CAR ACCIDENT INJURY: Bengals Receiver Suffers 'Life-Threatening' Injuries In Crash|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/16/chris-henry-car-accident_n_394930.html|newspaper=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=December 16, 2009|first=Whitney|last=Snyder}}</ref>

Henry majored in athletic coaching education.<ref name="Profile">[http://www.bengals.com/team/player.asp?player_id=63 Profile on Bengals.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002175057/http://www.bengals.com/team/player.asp?player_id=63 |date=October 2, 2008 }}, [[Cincinnati Bengals]]</ref>

Henry was the third player in [[West Virginia Mountaineers|Mountaineers']] history to average more than twenty yards per catch for his career.<ref name="Profile" />  Henry's 1,878 career receiving yards is eighth most in school history,<ref>[http://www.wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcrcy WVU Career Receiving Yards<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106023716/http://wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcrcy |date=November 6, 2007 }}</ref> while his 93 receptions are the 14th most.<ref>[http://www.wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcrcc WVU Career Receptions<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106025121/http://wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcrcc |date=November 6, 2007 }}</ref>  His 22 touchdown receptions are also second most in school history.<ref>[http://www.wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcctd WVU Career Touchdown Receptions<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106025105/http://www.wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=pcctd |date=November 6, 2007 }}</ref>  Henry's six career 100-yard receiving games is tied for third most in school history.<ref>[http://www.wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=re100 WVU Career 100-Yard Receiving Games<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106025240/http://wvustats.com/football/recs_player.php?team_id=308&code=re100 |date=November 6, 2007 }}</ref>

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 4
|       weight = 197
|         dash = 4.50
|    ten split = 1.64
| twenty split = 2.68
|      shuttle =
|   cone drill =
|     vertical = 36.0
|     broad ft =
|     broad in =
|        bench =
|     arm span =
|    hand span =
|    wonderlic =
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]/[[Pro Day]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=9667&DraftYear=2005 |title=2005 Draft Scout Chris Henry, West Virginia NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=May 17, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=7140 |title=Chris Henry, Combine Results, WR - West Virginia |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=May 17, 2022}}</ref>
}}

[[File:Chris Henry (2310846707).jpg|thumb|200px|Henry in 2006]]

Henry was selected by the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] in the third round of the [[2005 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2005/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He made his NFL debut on September 18, 2005, against the [[Minnesota Vikings]].<ref name="Profile" /> In his rookie season with the Bengals, he amassed 31 receptions for 422&nbsp;yards and six touchdowns. In the Bengals' first playoff game in fifteen years against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], he had a reception for 66&nbsp;yards on the Bengals' second play from [[Line of scrimmage|scrimmage]]. However, on the play, both he and Bengals [[quarterback]] [[Carson Palmer]] had [[knee]] injuries.

In his second season, Henry totaled 605&nbsp;yards on 36 receptions for nine touchdowns, with an average of 16.8&nbsp;yards per catch. In the second game of the season against the [[Cleveland Browns]], Henry recorded five receptions for 113&nbsp;yards, while he recorded two touchdowns the next week against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. In the season finale against the Steelers, Henry totaled 124&nbsp;yards off of four receptions and scored one touchdown.

Henry was suspended for eight games in 2007 for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.<ref name="nytimeshenrydeath">{{cite news |title=Bengals Receiver Dies After Accident (Published 2009) |work=The New York Times |date=December 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407181821/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/sports/football/18henry.html |archive-date=2023-04-07 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/sports/football/18henry.html |last1=Battista |first1=Judy }}</ref><ref name="espnsuspension">[https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2832015 Goodell suspends Pacman, Henry for multiple arrests]</ref> He returned in week 10 against the [[Baltimore Ravens]], where he had four receptions for 99&nbsp;yards. In the following loss to [[Arizona Cardinals|Arizona]], Henry totaled eight receptions for 81&nbsp;yards and one [[touchdown]]. Henry finished the season with 21 receptions for 343&nbsp;yards and two touchdowns.

Following his arrest in April 2008, Henry was waived by the Bengals. President [[Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals owner)|Mike Brown]] explained that Henry had forfeited his opportunity to pursue a career with the Bengals and that his conduct could no longer be tolerated.<ref>[http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6709 Bengals release Henry]</ref>

On April 7, 2008, [[ESPN]] radio analyst and former player [[Michael Irvin]] said he took a phone call from Henry, discussing "cleaning up his act", much like Irvin encouraged [[Adam Jones (American football)|Adam "Pacman" Jones]] to do.<ref>[http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/04/07/chris-henry-thinks-michael-irvin-can-help-salvage-his-career/ Chris Henry Thinks Michael Irvin Can Help Salvage His Career – FanHouse – AOL Sports Blog]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708231223/http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/04/07/chris-henry-thinks-michael-irvin-can-help-salvage-his-career/ |date=July 8, 2008 }}</ref> Henry and Jones were teammates at West Virginia, and both served NFL suspensions imposed by NFL commissioner [[Roger Goodell]] during the [[2007 NFL season]].

With Bengals receivers [[Chad Ochocinco]], [[T. J. Houshmandzadeh]], and [[Andre Caldwell]] nursing injuries during the 2008 preseason, Henry was re-signed to a two-year contract by the Bengals on August 18.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=blog09&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3ac78cbe8a-2b47-436d-a33e-62 |title= Cincinnati News, Sports and Things to do &#124; Cincinnati Enquirer|website=news.cincinnati.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927065147/http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=blog09&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3Ac78cbe8a-2b47-436d-a33e-62 |archive-date=September 27, 2012}}</ref> The move came less than a month after Bengals head coach [[Marvin Lewis]] stated the team had no interest in bringing back Henry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d80971598/article/lewis-says-suspended-henry-not-headed-back-to-the-bengals|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822003437/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d80971598/article/lewis-says-suspended-henry-not-headed-back-to-the-bengals|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 22, 2019|title=Lewis says suspended Henry not headed back to the Bengals|publisher=[[National Football League]]|access-date=August 21, 2019}}</ref> After serving his four-game suspension to begin the [[2008 NFL season|2008 season]], Henry was activated from the exemption list on October 4. Henry finished the 2008 season with 19 receptions for 220&nbsp;yards and two touchdowns. He was placed on [[injured reserve]] in November 2009, after suffering a broken forearm while making a 20-yard reception against the [[Baltimore Ravens]].<ref name=nyt/>

==Criminal history and suspension==
On December 15, 2005, Henry was pulled over in northern [[Kentucky]] for speeding. During a search, [[marijuana]] was found in his shoes. He was also driving without a valid [[driver's license]] or valid [[auto insurance|insurance]].<ref>{{cite news |title= Bengals' Henry arrested for third time since December|author=Pasquarelli, Len|newspaper= ESPN|date=June 4, 2006|url= https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2470257|access-date=December 17, 2009}}</ref> He pleaded guilty and avoided a jail sentence.

One month later, on January 30, 2006, he was arrested in [[Orlando, Florida]], for multiple [[Firearms|gun]] charges including [[Concealed carry|concealment]] and aggravated assault with a firearm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/01/30/henry.html |title= Bengals' Chris Henry Arrested in Florida on Gun Charges|website=www.wcpo.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109203139/http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/01/30/henry.html |archive-date=November 9, 2006}}</ref> He was reported to have been wearing his #15 Bengals jersey at the time of his arrest. He pleaded guilty to this charge and avoided jail time.

On April 29, 2006, Henry allowed three females under the legal drinking age (ages 18, 16 and 15) to consume alcohol at a hotel in [[Covington, Kentucky]].<ref name=USATODAYJan2007>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-01-25-notebook_x.htm |title=NFL notes: Bengals' Henry heads to jail, may face NFL sanction|date=January 25, 2007|newspaper=USA Today|agency=Associated Press|access-date=December 17, 2009}}</ref> One of the three, an 18-year-old woman, accused Henry of sexually assaulting her; she later retracted her story and was charged with filing a false police report.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2006-06-15-notebook_x.htm |title=Notes: Welbourn retires; NFL meetings continue in L.A.; Plaxico speaks; Henry pleads|newspaper=USA Today|agency=Associated Press|date=June 16, 2006|access-date=December 17, 2009}}</ref>

Henry was pulled over on [[Interstate 275 (Ohio)|Interstate 275]] in Ohio on June 3, 2006, at 1:18&nbsp;a.m. by [[Ohio Highway Patrol]] trooper Michael Shimko for suspected [[drunk driving]]. He voluntarily submitted to a [[breathalyzer]] test at 2:06&nbsp;a.m. at the [[Milford, Ohio|Milford Police Department]] and registered a .092 blood-alcohol level, .012 above the level permitted in the state of [[Ohio]].<ref>[http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2006/06/wr-henry-arrested-on-dui-charge.asp WR Henry arrested on DUI charge] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628030037/http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/2006/06/wr-henry-arrested-on-dui-charge.asp |date=June 28, 2006 }}. ''[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]]''</ref>

On October 6, 2006, Henry was suspended by the NFL for two games for violating the league's [[substance abuse]] and [[National Football League player conduct controversy|personal conduct]] policies.  NFL policies forbade Henry from taking part in practices; however, he was allowed to attend any team meetings. Henry missed the Bengals' October 15, 2006 game at [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Tampa Bay]] and their  October 22, 2006 home game versus [[Carolina Panthers|Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story?id=2615583&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%22%7D|title=NFL suspends Henry for 2 games|publisher=ESPN|access-date=August 21, 2019|date=October 6, 2006}}</ref>

On January 25, 2007, Henry pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of a city ordinance commonly referred to as a "keg law."  He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with all but two of those days being suspended.<ref name="USATODAYJan2007" />

In April 2007, Henry was suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 NFL season for violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy.<ref name=nytimeshenrydeath /> His suspension on the 10th came with a stern warning that future misconduct may result in the end of his career with the NFL. Henry was given permission by NFL Commissioner [[Roger Goodell]] to begin practicing fully.<ref>{{cite web|title=Henry practices with team|author=Curnutte, Mark|publisher=Cincinnati.com|date= October 25, 2007|url=http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20071025/SPT02/710250325/|access-date=December 17, 2009}}</ref> His suspension was lifted, and he played in the November 11, 2007, game versus the Baltimore Ravens, amassing four catches for 99 yards.

Henry allegedly assaulted a [[valet]] attendant at [[Newport on the Levee]] in [[Newport, Kentucky]] on November 6, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wlwt.com/news/14533956/detail.html |title=Bengals' Henry Threatened Valet Attendant, Police Say |author=Gettys, Travis |date=November 8, 2007 |publisher=WLWT |access-date=December 17, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704151136/http://www.wlwt.com/news/14533956/detail.html |archive-date=July 4, 2008 }}</ref> He was arrested for a second time in Orlando on December 3 for violating [[probation]] stemming from his January 30, 2006, arrest. On February 21, 2008, he was found not guilty.

On March 31, 2008, Henry punched Gregory Meyer, 18, in the face and threw a [[beer]] bottle through the window of his car. Henry claimed it was a case of [[mistaken identity]] and that he thought it was somebody else that owed him money.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.local12.com/content/breaking_news/story/Chris-Henry-Released-From-Jail/-lMnchJSSUeO21VOXz0Wew.cspx |title=Chris Henry Released From Jail |date=April 4, 2008 |publisher=WKRC |access-date=December 17, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719115043/http://www.local12.com/content/breaking_news/story/Chris-Henry-Released-From-Jail/-lMnchJSSUeO21VOXz0Wew.cspx |archive-date=July 19, 2009 }}</ref> Henry was waived by the Bengals a day after this arrest and was then served a house arrest sentence.

==Death==
On December 16, 2009, Henry sustained injuries when he fell out of the back of a moving truck driven by his fiancée, Loleini Tonga, while they were engaged in a [[domestic dispute]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/34462843/ns/sports-player_news/|title=Police confirm Bengals WR Chris Henry is dead|newspaper=[[NBC Sports]]|date=December 17, 2009|access-date=December 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007113446/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/34462843/ns/sports-player_news/|archive-date=October 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tonga had three children with Henry.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/17/chris-henry-dead-car-acci_n_394985.html Chris Henry Dead: Killed In Truck Incident, Domestic Dispute]</ref> On December 17, 2009, Charlotte police announced that Henry had died at 6:36&nbsp;a.m. ET at [[Carolinas Medical Center]] from the injuries sustained in the domestic dispute. Two days later, on December 19, police confirmed that Henry died of blunt force trauma to the head. No charges were filed against his fiancée, and police announced that they found no evidence that Tonga drove recklessly or with excessive speed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/topstories/story/1128580.html |title=NFL wide receiver Henry dies after Charlotte wreck |author=Wootson, Cleve Jr. |newspaper=[[The Charlotte Observer]] |date=December 17, 2009 |author2=Portillo, Ely |access-date=December 17, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206123925/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/topstories/story/1128580.html |archive-date=February 6, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4755765 |title=Police still investigating Henry's death |date=December 18, 2009 |work=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref><ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/06/loleini-tonga-chris-henry_n_413600.html Loleini Tonga, Chris Henry's Fiancee, Will NOT Be Charged In His Death]</ref> There was no alcohol in Henry's blood at the time of the incident.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.wcpo.com/sports/football/bengals/no-alcohol-found-in-henry-s-system-after-his-death|title=No alcohol found in Henry's system after his death|last=Writer|first=Associated Press, By MIKE CRANSTON, AP Sports|date=June 8, 2010|work=WCPO|access-date=September 29, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929232358/http://www.wcpo.com/sports/football/bengals/no-alcohol-found-in-henry-s-system-after-his-death|archive-date=September 29, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

To honor Henry, every game of Week 15 (December 17–21) in the NFL that year began with a moment of silence before kickoff.

{{blockquote|"Our football team, what they're feeling yesterday and this morning ... they watched a guy mature as a young man and work through adversity," Lewis said, adding that Henry became "a beacon of hope."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/12/16/bengals.henry/index.html|title=Bengals coach: Henry 'beacon of hope' before death - CNN.com|access-date=2017-09-29|language=en}}</ref>}}

On December 20, three days after Henry's death, the Bengals traveled to [[Qualcomm Stadium]] to face the San Diego Chargers. As with all the other Week 15 games, a moment of silence was held before kickoff.  Bengals wide receiver [[Chad Johnson|Chad Ochocinco]], a close friend of Henry's, openly wept during the silence. Later in the game, on his first touchdown reception, Ochocinco dropped to his knee and paid tribute to Henry in the end zone.<ref>{{YouTube|IVqGdcL60C4}}</ref>

In June 2010, the Brain Injury Research Institute of West Virginia University released a report that Henry had developed a brain disease called [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]] (CTE) during his playing career due to multiple hard hits to the head.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|author=Schwarz, Alan|title=Former Bengal Henry Found to Have Had Brain Damage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/sports/football/29henry.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 28, 2010 |access-date=June 28, 2010}}</ref> The discovery that Henry had CTE has become a serious issue of concern for football and brain safety, especially since Henry was relatively young and had never been diagnosed with a concussion in any of his five NFL seasons or during his college career at West Virginia. The latest research indicates an accumulation of lesser blows can cause brain damage.<ref name=belson>{{cite news |author=Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/sports/football/cte-study-concussions-brain-tackle.html |title=Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease. |work= [[The New York Times]] |date=June 20, 2023 |access-date=July 2, 2023 }}</ref>  It was also believed that the brain damage Henry suffered may have been a factor in his numerous off-the-field incidents.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=hoiward/100629 Chris Henry data sound football alarm], ESPN. com, Johnette Howard, June 29, 2010.</ref>

Henry's CTE was confirmed by an autopsy after his death.<ref name=nyt/> He was one of at least 345 [[List of NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy|NFL players to be diagnosed after death]] with this disease.<ref>{{cite news |title=The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) |website=Concussion Legacy Foundation |url=https://concussionfoundation.org/cte-resources/subconcussive-impacts |access-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702123543/https://concussionfoundation.org/cte-resources/subconcussive-impacts |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=belson/>

After his death, Henry's mother made the decision to donate his organs for transplant. Henry's corneas, lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, and pancreas were transplanted, saving the lives of four people.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-donor-20101125,0,3089522.story | work=Los Angeles Times | first=David | last=Zucchino | date=November 25, 2010 | title=Lost life revives four others}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Family ==
Henry's three children were raised by teammate [[Adam Jones (American football)|Adam "Pacman" Jones]].  One of his sons, [[Chris Henry Jr.]], is committed to play college football for the [[Ohio State Buckeyes]].<ref name="Sports Illustrated">{{cite magazine |last1=Salvador |first1=Joseph |title=Ohio State Offers Son of Former NFL Wide Receiver Chris Henry |url=https://www.si.com/college/2022/06/07/ohio-state-offers-son-chris-henry-recruitment |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=June 7, 2022 |publisher=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[National Football League player conduct controversy]]
*[[List of American football players who died during their careers]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091102082801/http://www.bengals.com/team/roster/chris-henry/96603ae9-bf37-425e-83af-e2b92581265d Cincinnati Bengals bio]
*{{Find a Grave|45561374}}

{{Bengals2005DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Chris}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:Players of American football with chronic traumatic encephalopathy]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Bengals players]]
[[Category:People from Belle Chasse, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Kentucky]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in North Carolina]]
[[Category:West Virginia Mountaineers football players]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]