It’s no secret that the Patriots’ rushing attack this year has been fairly bad, and while it’s been a cohesive issue, there is one man who is mainly at fault: Rhamondre Stevenson.
The fifth-year running back has had a successful NFL career thus far, rushing for over 800 yards twice in his career. His best season came in 2022, where he finished the season with nearly 1500 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns. He broke out that season as the Patriots’ top back, as former starter Damien Harris faded into the background.
His high level of play even awarded him a new four-year, $36 million contract with the team through 2028. The fourth-round pick was set up to be the Patriots’ long-term back, as he already sits No. 9 on the all-time rushing list.
However, last season, Stevenson struggled with one main issue: Ball Security. The RB rushed for 800 yards and seven touchdowns last season, a really solid stat line considering the Patriots’ poor 4-13 season. His main issue was fumbling the football, something he did seven times, which led all RB’s.
TreVeyon Henderson Enters the Fold
Despite his issue hanging onto the football, Rhamondre Stevenson remained the starter, with Antonio Gibson filtering on third downs and as a change-of-pace back.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Patriots prioritized offense, drafting left tackle Will Campbell No. 4 overall and Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson in the early second round. Immediately, Stevenson’s role as the top back was in question, as the more dynamic Henderson rushed for 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final year in college.
Throughout training camp and the first three weeks of the NFL season, Stevenson has maintained his role as the starter, with Gibson serving as the de facto backup and Henderson as the third string.
Golden Goal Line Opportunity
Through two weeks, Stevenson played really well, totaling 142 yards against the Dolphins, including a 56-yard catch on a crucial third down in the game.
In week three against the Steelers, though, Stevenson struggled mightily. After fumbling early in the game, Stevenson had a chance for a gimme touchdown at the goal line after a huge Robert Spillane interception of Aaron Rodgers.
With just one yard between himself and the goalline, Stevenson took the handoff and fumbled before crossing the plane, after which he lost his duties as the starter. It took Gibson also fumbling for head coach Mike Vrabel to finally put in Henderson, who finished the game with 11 carries in the loss.
After going clean on his nine attempts in Week 4, through four weeks, Stevenson has two fumbles on 31 rushing attempts. Only a struggling Derrick Henry has more amongst running backs.
With his ball security in limbo and Henderson’s breakout on the rise, can Stevenson bounce back from his rough start?
He seems to have head coach Mike Vrabel’s approval, who says Stevenson is apparently not on “some sort of discipline.” With the coach’s support and his spot as the starter not in jeopardy, his chances of bouncing back are pretty high. The question is: Can he hold onto the football and become an impactful rusher again?
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