Patriots Veteran Was Key to Playoff Win

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson entered this season hoping that his second tour of duty under offensive coordinatorJosh McDaniels would yield successful results.

Despite some early-season struggles with ball security, the 27-year-old is currently playing some of the best football of his career. Fortunately for the Pats, Stevenson’s renaissance appears to have arrived just in time for their first playoff run since 2021. The Pats’ veteran ran for 53 yards on 10 carries while also catching three passes for 75 yards in New England’s 16-3 Wild Card round victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium.

In fact, the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week finished the night with 128 total yards from scrimmage, while leading the team in receiving yards. Yet, in spite of his recent run of success, Stevenson continues to assure Patriots Nation that his is simply doing his job.

“I’m just trying to stay disciplined, trying to stay in the places I need to be,” Stevenson said following New England’s playoff win. “Stay disciplined on my run reads, on where I need to be in the pass game and things like that. I’m just making some plays.”

Stevenson Remains a Focal Point for Patriots on Offense

Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA;New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) runs the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

With the colder temperatures returning to the region, the importance of a strong and deep rushing attack will continue to be vital for the continued success of Maye and the offense — perhaps taking on even greater significance with their hosting a Divisional Round playoff matchup at Gillette Stadium next week. As such, Stevenson is picking the right time to peak.

The Pats’ veteran rusher is at his best when blending his physical, powerful running style with his vision and athleticism to make tacklers miss in short-yardage situational runs. He also continues to demonstrate an ability to utilize the open field as an available target from both the backfield as well as the line of scrimmage. In the past four games, Stevenson has rushed for 332 yards, caught 15 passes for 206 yards and six touchdowns.

Having Stevenson healthy and capable of shouldering an extensive workload appears to be precisely what the metaphorical doctor ordered. Known for his penchant for establishing the run to facilitate play-action passes, Stevenson is well-equipped to be an effective offensive weapon as the Pats move deeper into their current playoff run — a point not lost on head coach Mike Vrabel.

“Anytime that you can finish the game running the football against the Chargers and a defense like that, I think it's very positive,” Vrabel said. “Certainly we weren't one-dimensional. We were able to run the football …. get some yards on first down. I thought Rhamondre and the backs ran hard. I thought they did a great job of taking care of the football.”

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