When star cornerback A.J. Terrell went down with a groin injury against the Carolina Panthers, putting him on injured reserve, fans wondered who defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich would put up to bat.
Against the Green Bay Packers, cornerback C.J. Henderson stepped into that role with more confidence than notoriety.
Henderson finished the game with eight solo tackles and three critical pass breakups, repeatedly helping Atlanta’s defense stop plays. After that performance, some Falcons fans may be asking a simple question: Who exactly is C.J. Henderson?
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Henderson ninth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft after he played at the University of Florida, where he became one of the SEC’s top defensive backs.
His NFL career started with plenty of promise. In his debut, Henderson recorded five tackles and his first career interception while earning Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors that season as well. However, injuries, including a groin issue, disrupted his rookie season and prevented him from establishing himself as a long-term answer in Jacksonville.
During the 2021 season, Henderson was traded to the Carolina Panthers along with a 2022 fifth-round pick for tight end Dan Arnold and a 2022 third-round selection.
He showed flashes during his first season with the Falcons in 2025. Henderson appeared in six games, starting four, and recorded 13 total tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception.
Now he’s getting another opportunity.
Henderson capitalized on it during Atlanta’s Week 3 matchup against Green Bay. He held up on his side of the field, including making multiple crucial plays late in the first half. His coverage helped force Jordan Love to look elsewhere, with the Packers repeatedly testing Mike Hughes on the opposite side.
It was exactly the type of performance Atlanta needed with Terrell unavailable.
Henderson won’t replace a player of Terrell’s caliber with one good game. But the Falcons don’t necessarily need him to become Terrell. They need him to make offenses think twice before targeting his side of the field.
With Terrell expected to miss several weeks, Henderson should continue getting opportunities to prove he can do exactly that.
After his performance against Green Bay, opposing quarterbacks may have to pay a little more attention to who’s wearing No. 26 in Atlanta’s secondary.
