Cowboys cornerback Henry a humble star
By TODD ARCHER
The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – Just about every week, Anthony Dixon and Sammy Brown go to Joe Hampton's house in Fort Myers, Fla., to watch the Cowboys play.
Last week was a little different because of the prime-time kickoff in Chicago, so they stayed at home knowing they all had early Monday mornings because of work. Yet, they didn't sleep much.
As soon as Anthony Henry finished returning an interception 28 yards for a touchdown, Hampton's phone rang. It was Brown. He then called Dixon.
They quickly found out they had the same reactions to Henry's touchdown, jumping up and yelling at the television, willing their former player, teammate and, most important, friend, to the end zone.
"It was, 'Go Anthony, go Anthony, go Anthony,' " Hampton said.
Laughed Dixon, "It was a mess."
Hampton was Henry's coach at Estero (Fla.) High School. Dixon and Brown were teammates. They knew Henry well before he became the NFL's leader in interceptions, like he is now, or signed the big contract with the Cowboys in 2005, was drafted by Cleveland and played at South Florida.
Henry's four interceptions lead the NFL. His eight pass deflections lead the Cowboys and he's sixth in tackles. In his three seasons with the Cowboys, he has nine interceptions and two touchdowns, but he remains something of a mystery.
"He's what you would call the ultimate professional," linebacker Bradie James said.
Cornerbacks are supposed to be brash, cocky and arrogant. They are supposed to dance when they pick off a pass. Henry is nothing like that.
He will celebrate with teammates and point to the sky, but he is so unassuming he can pass through the Cowboys' locker room almost unnoticed. This week, however, he was surrounded by cameras, microphones, recorders and notebooks.
But Henry did not seem to know or care that he was named the NFC's defensive player of the week for his two-interception, one-touchdown game against the Bears.
Henry's mind was already on St. Louis, today's opponent at Texas Stadium, having picked up the scouting tape Monday.
"It's cool," he said. "I thank God that he's blessed me. I don't want to say or act like I'm not thankful, but just with me, it's not important the attention be on me. I just want to play and give my team a chance to win. That's the way I've been driven since high school."
Hampton and Dixon can't tell enough Henry stories to their players at South Fort Myers High School.
Hampton, a coach for 37 years at different schools, including 12 as Estero's varsity coach, now works with the freshman team. Dixon is an assistant for the varsity, coaching running backs and defensive backs.
A picture sits behind Dixon's desk of a scrawny Henry as a sophomore in a No. 3 jersey.
"Right now, we've got a lot of talented kids who accept they have talent and don't want to be great," Dixon said. "As long as you're pretty good around town, they're satisfied. I talked to them about him, show them stuff. They get to see how small he was in the 10th grade and now how big he is.
"They can relate to what I'm talking about, that I'm not just shooting them a bunch of bull."
Hampton is waiting to bring out a highlight tape he made of Henry – who played quarterback, cornerback and even punted at Estero – to show to his players. Henry was also named the most valuable player of the basketball team and set school records in the high jump (6-feet, 6 inches) and triple jump (44-1). In 2004, his No. 3 was retired by the school.
"Let me tell you, Anthony didn't get here to there by accident," Hampton said.
Dixon remembers seeing Henry at the high school field during a break in college, working out. Henry had his headphones on, oblivious to what was happening around him and showing the same single-mindedness he had in high school when the bigger schools shied away from him.
Hampton remembers Henry never missed the bus from the projects in Fort Myers for the 15-mile ride to Estero. With some kids, Hampton would have to make sure they were doing the right things. With Henry, he didn't. He was always there willing to work, wanting to get better.
But it wasn't Henry's athletic ability that made Hampton want to help him.
"He'd come over and say, 'Coach, do you need your yard mowed?' or, 'Can I come clean your house? I need money for prom,'" Hampton said. "Now kids say, 'Coach, I need $40.' They don't ask what they could do for you. They want me to give it to them, and Anthony was never like that."
He hasn't changed, either. Henry has helped finance trips for kids from his neighborhood to the same Fellowship of Christian Athletes program in Black Mountain, N.C., that he attended with Hampton.
He does not live extravagantly, either. When Henry signed with the Cowboys, he purchased a modest townhouse and took care of his family.
"He's got a little computer room with one or two footballs in it," Dixon said. "But in the living room or sitting room, I don't think he has one Cowboy thing in there. You would never know he played for the Cowboys."
The jerseys, the trophies, the plaques and the game balls are in a room in his mother's house. Another game ball for his efforts against Chicago is on the way.
"I don't keep stuff like that," Henry said. "She's got a little area where she shows everybody. She's like, 'I need more Dallas Cowboy stuff.' Now she's got more."
The Dallas Morning News
IRVING – Just about every week, Anthony Dixon and Sammy Brown go to Joe Hampton's house in Fort Myers, Fla., to watch the Cowboys play.
Last week was a little different because of the prime-time kickoff in Chicago, so they stayed at home knowing they all had early Monday mornings because of work. Yet, they didn't sleep much.
As soon as Anthony Henry finished returning an interception 28 yards for a touchdown, Hampton's phone rang. It was Brown. He then called Dixon.
They quickly found out they had the same reactions to Henry's touchdown, jumping up and yelling at the television, willing their former player, teammate and, most important, friend, to the end zone.
"It was, 'Go Anthony, go Anthony, go Anthony,' " Hampton said.
Laughed Dixon, "It was a mess."
Hampton was Henry's coach at Estero (Fla.) High School. Dixon and Brown were teammates. They knew Henry well before he became the NFL's leader in interceptions, like he is now, or signed the big contract with the Cowboys in 2005, was drafted by Cleveland and played at South Florida.
Henry's four interceptions lead the NFL. His eight pass deflections lead the Cowboys and he's sixth in tackles. In his three seasons with the Cowboys, he has nine interceptions and two touchdowns, but he remains something of a mystery.
"He's what you would call the ultimate professional," linebacker Bradie James said.
Cornerbacks are supposed to be brash, cocky and arrogant. They are supposed to dance when they pick off a pass. Henry is nothing like that.
He will celebrate with teammates and point to the sky, but he is so unassuming he can pass through the Cowboys' locker room almost unnoticed. This week, however, he was surrounded by cameras, microphones, recorders and notebooks.
But Henry did not seem to know or care that he was named the NFC's defensive player of the week for his two-interception, one-touchdown game against the Bears.
Henry's mind was already on St. Louis, today's opponent at Texas Stadium, having picked up the scouting tape Monday.
"It's cool," he said. "I thank God that he's blessed me. I don't want to say or act like I'm not thankful, but just with me, it's not important the attention be on me. I just want to play and give my team a chance to win. That's the way I've been driven since high school."
Hampton and Dixon can't tell enough Henry stories to their players at South Fort Myers High School.
Hampton, a coach for 37 years at different schools, including 12 as Estero's varsity coach, now works with the freshman team. Dixon is an assistant for the varsity, coaching running backs and defensive backs.
A picture sits behind Dixon's desk of a scrawny Henry as a sophomore in a No. 3 jersey.
"Right now, we've got a lot of talented kids who accept they have talent and don't want to be great," Dixon said. "As long as you're pretty good around town, they're satisfied. I talked to them about him, show them stuff. They get to see how small he was in the 10th grade and now how big he is.
"They can relate to what I'm talking about, that I'm not just shooting them a bunch of bull."
Hampton is waiting to bring out a highlight tape he made of Henry – who played quarterback, cornerback and even punted at Estero – to show to his players. Henry was also named the most valuable player of the basketball team and set school records in the high jump (6-feet, 6 inches) and triple jump (44-1). In 2004, his No. 3 was retired by the school.
"Let me tell you, Anthony didn't get here to there by accident," Hampton said.
Dixon remembers seeing Henry at the high school field during a break in college, working out. Henry had his headphones on, oblivious to what was happening around him and showing the same single-mindedness he had in high school when the bigger schools shied away from him.
Hampton remembers Henry never missed the bus from the projects in Fort Myers for the 15-mile ride to Estero. With some kids, Hampton would have to make sure they were doing the right things. With Henry, he didn't. He was always there willing to work, wanting to get better.
But it wasn't Henry's athletic ability that made Hampton want to help him.
"He'd come over and say, 'Coach, do you need your yard mowed?' or, 'Can I come clean your house? I need money for prom,'" Hampton said. "Now kids say, 'Coach, I need $40.' They don't ask what they could do for you. They want me to give it to them, and Anthony was never like that."
He hasn't changed, either. Henry has helped finance trips for kids from his neighborhood to the same Fellowship of Christian Athletes program in Black Mountain, N.C., that he attended with Hampton.
He does not live extravagantly, either. When Henry signed with the Cowboys, he purchased a modest townhouse and took care of his family.
"He's got a little computer room with one or two footballs in it," Dixon said. "But in the living room or sitting room, I don't think he has one Cowboy thing in there. You would never know he played for the Cowboys."
The jerseys, the trophies, the plaques and the game balls are in a room in his mother's house. Another game ball for his efforts against Chicago is on the way.
"I don't keep stuff like that," Henry said. "She's got a little area where she shows everybody. She's like, 'I need more Dallas Cowboy stuff.' Now she's got more."
posted by The Gryphon at 10:46 PM
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