Devery Henderson life and biography

NFL CAREER

Few players in the NFL can stretch the field like Henderson, who has been one of the league’s most dangerous deep threats since 2006. The speedy wideout has averaged an NFL-high 20.4 yards per reception over the last four seasons, and has 16 catches of over 50 yards during his career. In 2009, he had his most productive NFL season, setting career-highs in catches and yardage with 51 grabs for 804 yards (15.8 avg.), serving as a speedy complement to Marques Colston. A second-round pick in 2004 out of LSU, Henderson has started 43 of 76 games in his career.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Re-signed to a four-year contract, 3/4/09; Re-signed to a one-year contract, 3/3/08; Signed to four-year contract, 8/6/04; Selected in the second round of 2004 NFL Draft (50th overall).

2009- Played in all 16 games, starting 11, and established career-highs with 51 receptions for 804 yards, scoring two touchdowns. Also carried the ball four times for 13 yards and returned four punts for 16 yards. vs. Detroit (9/13): Led the team with 103 receiving yards from his starting WR position, catching five passes including a 58-yard touchdown from QB Drew Brees. The game marked the sixth time in his career he reached the 100-yard mark in a game. at Philadelphia (9/20): Caught three passes for 71 yards, including a game-long 38-yard reception. at Buffalo (9/27): Hauled in three receptions for 40 yards in the victory. vs. NY Jets (10/4): Caught three balls for 21 yards. vs. NY Giants (10/18): Caught one pass for six yards. at Miami (10/25): Started at WR and caught four passes for 71 yards and ran for a 13-yard gain on an end-around. vs. Atlanta (11/2): Caught four passes for 46 yards from his starting WR spot. vs. Carolina (11/8): Started at wide receiver and caught three balls for 93 yards with a season-long 63-yard catch-and-run that set up the Saints’ first touchdown of the afternoon. at St. Louis (11/15): Was the lone WR in the starting lineup and caught five passes for a team-best 72 yards. at Tampa Bay (11/22): Started at wide receiver and was held to one catch for a loss of two yards. Also filled in at punt returner and had a pair of five-yard returns. vs. New England (11/30): Posted his seventh career 100-yard game with three catches for 116 yards, including a season-long 75-yard touchdown. Also carried the ball once for no gain and averaged three yards on two punt returns. at Washington (12/6): Started at receiver and caught a season-high six passes for 61 yards in the win. Also carried the ball once for three yards. at Atlanta (12/13): Gained 31 yards on three receptions in the victory. vs. Dallas (12/19): Caught two passes for 22 yards from his starting receiver spot. vs. Tampa Bay (12/27): Started at receiver and caught five passes for 35 yards. at Carolina (1/3): Had one reception for 18 yards. vs. Arizona (1/16 – Divisional Playoff): Caught four passes from his starting WR spot, going for 80 yards with 44 of them coming on a second quarter touchdown catch. vs. Minnesota (1/24 – NFC Championship Game): Started at receiver and led the team with four receptions for 39 yards including a nine-yard touchdown in the win. vs. Indianapolis (2/7 – Super Bowl XLIV): Tied for the team-lead with seven receptions from his starting WR spot, good for 63 yards in the victory. Also carried once for a loss of seven yards. 2008 – Started 13 of 16 games, recording a reception in all but one contest…Had eight catches of 25 yards or more, including six of over 50…Hauled in a career-long 84-yard TD in season-opening victory vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 7…Had an 81-yard grab vs. San Francisco, Sept. 28..Notched fifth career 100-yard performance with four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown vs. Minnesota, Oct. 6, including a 52-yard catch…Had two catches for 68 yards vs. Oakland, Oct. 12, including 51-yard completion, and three receptions for 80 yards at Carolina, with a 54-yard grab, Oct. 19. Performance closed a four-game streak with a 50+ yard catch…At Atlanta, Nov. 9, had a pair of catches for 33 yards and a 30-yard rush on a reverse…Hauled in three passes for 72 yards vs. Atlanta, Dec. 7, including an 18-yard catch in the second quarter that was the 100th of his career…At Detroit, Dec. 21, had two receptions for 96 yards, with a 64-yard grab. 2007 – Started nine of 16 contests, recording 20 receptions for 409 yards (20.5 avg.), with three touchdowns and added two rushes for 20 yards…Had four catches for 101 yards, including a 54-yard grab, vs. Carolina, Oct. 7…Hauled in a 37-yard touchdown vs. Atlanta, Oct. 21, and a six-yard scoring grab at Houston, Nov. 18…Had a 45-yard touchdown reception vs. Tampa Bay, Dec. 2…At Atlanta, Dec. 10 had one catch for 32 yards and a 15-yard run off a reverse….Caught a 53-yard pass vs. Philadelphia, Dec. 23. 2006 – Played in 13 games with seven starts, inactive for the other three contests…Posted career-high totals in every receiving category with 32 catches for 745 yards (23.3 avg.) and five TDs…Also had two carries for 14 yards, including an 11-yard burst for a touchdown vs. Atlanta, Sept. 25…Had 14 catches of 20 yards or more during the regular season and added a 40-yard reception in the NFC Championship at Chicago and a 35-yard grab vs. Philadelphia in the Divisional Playoffs vs. Philadelphia…Notched eight catches of 42 yards or more during regular season, and four traveled at least 50 yards…Hauled in touchdowns of 76, 52, 45, 42, and 26 yards, averaging 48.2 yards per score through the air…Started five of final six contests when he emerged as the club’s most dangerous downfield target…Over the last seven games, had 21 catches for 524 yards and a pair of TDs…Opened year modestly, combining for eight catches for 110 yards in the first three contests, followed by being declared inactive for the next three games with a shoulder injury, and then being held without a reception vs. Baltimore, Oct. 29…Recorded first 100-yard day of career at Tampa Bay, Nov. 5 with three catches for 111 yards and a pair of touchdowns, from 52 and 45 yards, for first multi-TD game of career…Posted career-highs with nine catches for 169 yards vs. Cincinnati, Nov. 19, including a 44-yard reception…Followed that contest with another strong performance, hauling in four passes for 158 yards (39.5 avg.) and a 76-yard touchdown at Atlanta, Nov. 26…Had a pair of catches for 92 yards at Dallas, Dec. 10, with a 42-yard TD…Added two catches for 71 yards in finale vs. Carolina, including a 65-yard reception. 2005 – Played in 14 games with three starts (vs. Buffalo, at St. Louis, at Tampa Bay) and had 22 receptions for 343 yards and three touchdowns…Made season debut vs. New York Giants, Sept. 19, and had three receptions for 42 yards…Caught three passes for 95 yards at Minnesota, Sept. 25…Had first career start vs. Buffalo, Oct. 2…Had four receptions for 53 yards and recorded his first career TD catch vs. Atlanta, Oct. 16…Recorded game-winning 30-yard TD reception in fourth quarter at NY Jets, Nov. 27…Started at Tampa Bay, 1/1/06, and caught two passes for 30 yards, including a 24-yard TD. 2004 – Spent 14 games on inactive list…Played briefly at Arizona, Oct. 3…Dressed but did not play at Atlanta, Nov. 28.

COLLEGE

Emerged as one of nation’s top weapons over final two seasons…Played in 42 games and caught 89 passes for 1,311 yards (14.7-average) and 19 TDs…Opened career at running back, recording 433 yards on 73 carries (5.9-average) with three touchdowns…Switched to wide receiver in spring of 2002 and started 11 games, hauling in 23 passes for 442 yards and eight TDs…On receiving end of one of the most memorable plays in school history that season, when he hauled in a 75-yard TD pass as time expired to defeat Kentucky, named the Play of the Year by the Associated Press… As a senior earned second-team All-SEC honors with 53 catches for 861 yards and 11 TDs.

PERSONAL

Member of LSU’s national champion indoor track and field team in 2001…Ran second-fastest 60-meter time in school history at 6.72 seconds…Member of LSU’s NCAA-qualifying 4x100 relay team…Attended Opelousas (La.) HS, rushing for 1,322 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior…Class 4A state 100- and 200-meter champion with times of 10.3 and 21.1…Business major at LSU…Full name: Devery Vaughn Henderson, Jr.…Born March 26, 1982 in Lafayette, La.

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