Chris Henry - Rest in Peace

Wide Receiver Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals died this morning from injuries sustained yesterday after falling out of a truck bed he jumped into during a domestic dispute. Henry had a checkered behavioral history, but he was an exceptionally talented athlete. As a Browns fan I can remember a couple great games he had against Cleveland. Henry seemed to have made great strides at putting his negative off field problems behind him. I don't know how he was raised, but his actions over the years spoke of a young man who did not have a positive male role model growing up. His life also highlights the problem of talented athletes that often aren't held fully accountable for their actions. Did his high school or college coaches discipline him when needed or did they coddle him to keep him on the field? In the end, Henry was responsible for his actions, but it seems that he didn't have much help becoming an adult.

As to the football impact, he was already on the injured list and not going to play again this year. However, he was on the Bengals off and on for five years. The team will take the field against the Chargers in San Diego less than four days after losing a friend and teammate. This is the second very emotional loss for the Bengals this season. In October, Vikki Zimmer, the wife of Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer, passed away suddenly.