Henderson goes from rehab to rejoicing

E.J. Henderson’s hard working rehabilitating a fractured femur paid off with a late invitation to the Pro Bowl.

It took eight years and a near-catastrophic injury for E.J. Henderson to get the call he was looking for, but he finally got the call to the Pro Bowl>

Henderson was named as a late injury replacement for Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, become the third Viking to be asked late to the dance. Adrian Peterson was the only Viking selected to the initial Pro Bowl roster, but was subsequently joined by Kevin Williams, Antoine Winfield and now Henderson on the NFC roster. Williams declined the invitation to Hawaii because he and his wife are expecting a baby any day now.

Henderson’s selection to the Pro Bowl is remarkable given that many people in the organization were convinced that Henderson’s career may have been over when he suffered a hideous leg injury a year ago in Arizona in a loss to the Cardinals. However, thanks to tireless rehab work, Henderson not only returned in 2010, but was ready at the start of training camp. He finished tied for the team lead in interceptions with three and second on team in tackles with 139.

While there are many around the Vikings that wonder how Chad Greenway was kept off the team, Henderson’s selection is long overdue and a fitting end to a year that began with questions about his future ending with a trip to Hawaii to take his place among the NFL’s best.

FRIDAY NOTES

Henderson is the first Vikings linebacker to play in the Pro Bowl since Jack Del Rio in 1994. Ed McDaniel was named to the team in 1998, but an injury suffered in the NFC Championship Game against Atlanta kept him sidelined.

The longest-tenured coach in the NFL is out of work, as Jeff Fisher announced that he and the team have different visions of the future and that he will no longer be the Titans head coach. Fisher was around so long, the Titans were still the Houston Oilers when he took over as head coach.

The AEG group that is trying to lure an NFL team to come to Los Angeles announced Thursday that they are ready to begin construction on a new stadium. The Vikings remain one of the top teams on their wish list of teams to be relocated to L.A. Other teams that have been prominently mentioned include the Chargers and Jaguars.

A proposed stadium site in Ramsey County could have multiple benefits for getting a stadium deal through the State Legislature. According to Minnesota Public Radio, Ramsey County would apparently be willing to kick in some of its own money to get the stadium at the Arden Hills location of an abandoned Army munitions plant.