Eric N. "E. J." Henderson (born August 3, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins, twice earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Vikings in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft.^[1]

Henderson was born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.^[2] He attended Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, Maryland, where he played high school football for the Aberdeen Eagles.

Henderson accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Maryland, where he played for the Maryland Terrapins football team from 1999 to 2002. He holds three NCAA records: career total tackles per game (12.5), season unassisted tackles with 135 in 2002, and career unassisted tackles per game (8.8).^[3] He was recognized twice as a first-team ACC selection (2001, 2002), twice as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2001, 2002), and twice as a consensus first-team All-American (2000, 2001).^[4] As a junior in 2001, he was honored as the ACC Player of the Year. As a senior in 2002, he was the recipient of the Chuck Bednarik Award and Butkus Award, recognizing him as the best college defensive player and best college linebacker, respectively, in America. He was also selected as the defensive most valuable player in the Terrapins' 30–3 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2002 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

He is the older brother of fellow former Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson, who also played college football of the Maryland Terrapins.