Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry says Kobe Bryant was his favorite athlete

The news of the passing of former Los Angeles Lakers superstar and NBA legend Kobe Bryant hit Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry particularly hard.

As the Pro Bowl was taking place down in Orlanda, Florida on Sunday, the news of the passing of former Los Angeles Lakers superstar and NBA legend Kobe Bryant had just broke, and it was news that hit Tennessee Titans running back, Derrick Henry, really hard.

The 41-year-old Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna both tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning, and the news sent shock waves across the world instantly.

While this was going on, NFL players were getting ready to play in the Pro Bowl and soon found out about the horrifying news.

Henry was in shock but expressed how much he respected Bryant and called him his “favorite athlete of all-time”, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

"“It’s indescribable,” Henry said on the field at Camping World Stadium after the Pro Bowl. “Kobe is my favorite athlete of all-time. I have four or five of his jerseys. I still don’t want to believe it. I guess it will really hit me when I get home and look at all my jerseys. It is so sad. He is a legend, an icon. And to hear his oldest daughter was with him, I can’t even put it into words. It’s so sad.”"

Like the rest of us, Henry couldn’t believe it when he heard it.

"“Kobe (died)?,” Henry said to himself. “This can’t be real.”"

I think Henry’s words encapsulates how we all feel. It’s one thing to lose a legend like Bryant, but for his young daughter to also perish in the crash is a double gut punch that makes it even harder to register.

Kobe and Gianna are survived by their wife/mother Vanessa and three daughters/sisters.

Once again, our thoughts and prayers go out to Kobe and Gianna’s family at this most difficult time. There are no words to describe our sorrow for their loss.