The New England Patriots' performance in 2024 was one of the worst the franchise has seen in the past 20+ years. One of the many reasons the team underperformed was because they weren't physical enough in the trenches. As a result, New England struggled to establish a rushing attack all season.
Beyond that, Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson also had ball security issues, causing some fans to question his reliability. However, head coach Mike Vrabel credited Stevenson's struggles more to the offensive line than him as a player.
According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Vrabel defended Stevenson on a recent SiriusXM NFL Radio interview, saying, "We can look back and say, ‘Yeah, Rhamondre had some issues holding on to the football that year.’ But we also didn't finish two or three blocks on the backside that allowed the second guy to come in as he's trying to make somebody miss, or he's trying to stiff-arm somebody."
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel defended Rhamondre Stevenson on @SiriusXMNFL: “We can look back and say, ‘Yeah, Rhamondre had some issues holding on to the football that year.’ But we also didn't finish two or three blocks on the backside that allowed the second guy to come in as he's…
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) February 25, 2025
Mike Vrabel Defends Rhamondre Stevenson's 2024 Performance
Vrabel's comments describing how offensive line play affects a running back's output are spot on. For instance, look at Saquon Barkley, who was with the New York Giants. He was a talented back who put up multiple 1,000-yard seasons. Yet, this season in Philadelphia, Barkley showed his true ability with the best offensive line in the NFL.
That said, ball security is the running back's responsibility. Sure, Stevenson may have been trying to create yardage with stiff arms and jukes, but that doesn't matter if he loses the ball. In 2024, Stevenson fumbled six times, which is triple his previous high of two.
That type of fumble discrepancy doesn't quite track for a player like Stevenson. Typically, players don't suddenly develop ball security issues three years into their careers. Usually, they enter the league with them.
Ultimately, Vrabel's assessment of Stevenson's fumble issues in 2024 is the only logical explanation. Hopefully, with the improvements New England plans to make on the offensive line this offseason, Stevenson can have a better 2025.