Earlier this offseason, Clemson football fans were in shock when freshman running back Marquise Henderson was abruptly dismissed from the team.
There was no concrete reason nor statement that revealed too much about what happened, but when Dabo Swinney makes a decision like this, he doesn't make it lightly. It likely had to be a serious incident for him to be kicked off the team, but there was a good chance we'd never know what the real reason was.
Fortunately, that reason has surfaced on Monday.
According to a report from Chapel Fowler, Henderson was involved in a locker room incident right before his dismissal in which a student alleged that he threatened teammates and showed them a picture of a gun during an argument.
Breaking news: Former Clemson FB player Marquise Henderson was involved in a locker room incident 3 days before he was dismissed from team, records show. Accounts vary, but one student alleged Henderson threatened teammates and showed them a picture of a gun during an argument
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) July 14, 2025
I'm not quite sure why he would threaten teammates and show them a picture of a gun (seems like an odd way to make a statement to me), but Dabo caught wind of it and promptly dismissed him.
Dabo has been building an elite culture at Clemson that has been documented far and wide. Most experts have praised the legendary head coach for the culture that he's built at Clemson because it's one of faith and family and he won't recruit you unless you fit that mold. Henderson didn't quite fit it and Swinney made the tough decision to cut him loose.
If this story is true, which it seems to be, it looks like Dabo made the right choice to keep his culture intact. Teammates shouldn't be threatening teammates, especially not with gun violence.
Henderson is getting a second chance with Liberty as he committed to the Flames just days after being dismissed by Clemson.