The New England Patriots have an outstanding 1-2 punch in the backfield with TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson. When the Pats took Henderson with the 38th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, many believed that he would take over the backfield as a rookie, but that wasn't the case.
Stevenson has been a consistent contributor in the backfield after facing some adversity at the beginning of the year. But based on how his coaches and teammates are speaking about him, there's no way he won't be back for the 2026 season.
Rhamondre Stevenson Looks Poised to Return in 2026 for Patriots
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels spoke to the media on Thursday and made a point to give Stevenson some props, saying younger players should pay attention to how he carried himself this season.
"A great example for any young player. I hope they’re paying attention, because it’s hard to go through a season in the NFL and not deal with some personal adversity on or off the field. But then you have to be a professional. Do your job. Improve in that area. And then eventually, you’re gonna get on the other side of that. I think that I speak for everybody in the building - we’re all super happy and excited whenever Mondre does anything well, because he’s so well-thought-of, obviously, here. It was great to see him get recognized last week,” McDaniels said, via WEEI.
And when you take a step back to look at the totality of the season, he's right. Stevenson fumbled three times between Weeks 3 and 5, which led to him losing some reps.
New England leaned on Henderson and Antonio Gibson at the beginning of the season, in an attempt to teach Stevenson a lesson, and he took that to heart. The Oklahoma product hasn't fumbled since Week 5 and has been an effective player for the Patriots.
On the season, he has compiled 603 rushing yards, 345 receiving yards, and nine total touchdowns. Not only has he made plays with the ball in his hands, but he's also been solid in pass protection.
He's made it a point to let Drake Maye know that he deserves a gift, and the second-year QB spoke about it. Maye said, "He does it in all three (running back) phases. I mean, the amount of picked up blocks, he told me that he needs a gift like the o-linemen, and he probably does, the way he’s blocked this year. He’s been one of the best in the league. It’s comforting having 38 back there."
Stevenson has made it his mission to be there to pick up blitzes, and his quarterback appreciates that. On Pro Football Focus, he has a 67.6 pass-blocking grade, which ranks 33rd best among running backs/fullbacks.
Stevenson inked a four-year, $36 million extension with New England in June 2024. He's on the books for $7.6 million in 2026, $9.6 million in 2027, and $11.6 million in 2028. Who knows what will happen in 2027 and 2028, but based on how impactful he was for this team this season, his chances of being back for next season seem like a surefire thing.
And his ability to bounce back from early season struggles played a huge role in that.