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  • Linebacker Erin Henderson (right) chats on the sideline with Vikings’ Director of College Scouting Scott Studwell during a recent practice at Minnesota State. Studwell was also a Vikings’ linebacker for 14 seasons. Pat Christman

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August 5, 2012

Vikings' Henderson steps into veteran role

By Joe Tischler Special to The Free Press

MANKATO — Last season, Erin Henderson and his older brother E.J. made NFL history by becoming the first set of brothers to start at linebacker on the same team since 1937 when brothers Bud and George Svendsen did so for the Green Bay Packers.

E.J. started at middle linebacker and was second on the Vikings with 107 tackles while Erin started 11 games at weak-side linebacker and was fourth on the squad, amassing 70 tackles.

The Vikings decided not to bring E.J. back after last season leaving Erin to uphold the family name at linebacker in Minnesota. The two had been teammates since 2008 when Erin joined the team as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Maryland.

Going into his second season as a starter, Erin will seek to become a leader on the Vikings’ defense.

“Because of the position that I’m in and because of what they’re asking me to do, you kind of have to be boisterous and be a leader and trying to get guys set up and get people in the right position and the right place,” said Henderson. In March, the Vikings re-signed Erin to a one-year deal worth $2 million meaning he’ll have plenty to prove this year in hopes of getting a longer contract after this season.

“You always have something to prove in this league no matter who you are or what you are, how much money you’ve made or haven’t made,” he said. “If you step out there and you feel like you don’t have anything to prove or you feel like you’ve made it and you’ve accomplished something, you get your butt whooped.”

Chad Greenway, last year’s leading tackler, returns at the other outside linebacker position while Jasper Brinkley is projected to replace E.J. as the starter in the middle.

With a new starter next to Erin this season, defensive coordinator Alan Williams knows how important his play will mean to the team this season.

“He’s smart, he’s intelligent, he communicates well, he knows the defense, he has leadership qualities about him,” he said. “You can never have too many guys who can fill in different spots and that’s a good thing to have and Erin has done that pretty well.”

Erin knows just how fortunate he is to have had his older brother tutor and mentor him in his first four seasons in the NFL.

“It was a great advantage for me,” he said. “I think a lot of guys come into the league and get lost in things and get confused about some stuff or how things go. I had my big brother here to kind of look out for me and make sure I kept my head on straight and walk the path that I was supposed to and taking care of things in my life that I was supposed to take care of.”

As of now, E.J. remains unsigned going into the 2012 NFL season.    

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