Rhamondre Stevenson grateful for support from Patriots; focused on ball security heading this offseason
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson missed a handful of the team's voluntary workouts this summer as he mourned the loss of his father, Robert, who passed away in March. But while he was away, Stevenson still felt a lot of love from the team.
Stevenson was back on the practice field with the Patriots for Monday's OTA session in Foxboro. He spoke with reporters after the practice, and said new head coach Mike Vrabel and his coaching staff in New England helped him throughout his grieving process. Running back coach Tony Dews even flew out to Las Vegas to spend time with Stevenson this offseason.
"I'm going to keep the dialogue to myself, but it meant a lot," Stevenson told reporters Monday. "Just the whole coaching staff, them being new and still having my back, checking in on me.
"All of that means a lot to me. It meant a lot to my family and I loved it." Stevenson added.
Rhamondre Stevenson's focus for 2025 season
As for how he looks on the field, Stevenson admitted he's a little behind the rest of the pack. He's working hard to get in top shape and be ready for Training Camp at the end of July.
After a difficult few months, Stevenson was just glad to be back on the field with his New England teammates on Monday.
"It felt great just being in the huddle with the guys and just being back in the building, just going through meetings and the weight room," he said. "It's great to be around them. They kind of get my mind off things and just give me focus on football. So, yeah, I love being around."
Stevenson had one of the best plays of Monday's practice, when he made a lovely catch down the sideline on a deep ball by second-year quarterback Drake Maye. It was the first pass Stevenson has seen this summer, and one of those "gotta have it" plays for the New England offense.
"There was a man alert there. I know I have to win," he explained. "My guy Drake threw it up to me. It's like the first ball this whole OTA, so I'm glad I caught it, honestly."
Stevenson will head into the 2025 -- his fifth in the NFL -- in his usual spot as the Patriots' top running back, but there is a lot more intrigue at the position in 2025. New England drafted TreVeyon Henderson in the second round of Ohio State, adding a skilled duel-threat back to the mix. Stevenson said Henderson is an "explosive" player who is learning the pro game quickly.
"I'm excited for him," Stevenson said of Henderson.
More action for Henderson would mean less looks for Stevenson, who rushed for 801 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns for the Patriots over 15 games in 2024. But how the team will divvy up carries and targets isn't on the veteran's mind at the moment.
Stevenson fumbled seven times in 2024, which matched his total from his first three NFL seasons and earned him a temporary spot on the bench from then-head coach Jerod Mayo. Heading into a new season, Stevenson said ball security is the biggest aspect of his game he's looking to improve this summer.
"That's the obvious answer," he said of hanging onto the football. "But also, just getting some wins under our belt and not shooting ourselves in the foot. That comes back to ball security."
While Stevenson might be playing a bit of catchup, he does have a leg up in the new offense Josh McDaniels is currently installing. Stevenson played for McDaniels when he was New England's offensive coordinator in 2021, and while the 2025 offense won't be exactly the same with several new elements added by McDaniels, Stevenson has a good grasp of the scheme in general.
"Josh and Bill Belichick yelled at me a lot my rookie year for this same playbook," Stevenson joked Monday. "So I've got it drilled into me."
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