Rhamondre Stevenson Didn't Tweak His Game, And That's Good News For Patriots

FOXBORO --- It had been a long time coming for Rhamondre Stevenson.

The New England Patriots running back, now entering his sixth season, hadn't truly been able to touch team success in the NFL. Sure, the team made the playoffs his rookie season, but last year was different. Finally re-claiming the AFC East and a trip to the Super Bowl surpassed all the expectations outsiders had for the team entering 2025.

"Very rewarding," Stevenson told reporters after the Patriots' first mandatory minicamp practice. "Our hard work finally paid off it seemed like. Even in those losing seasons, we were coming in here, putting our best foot forward, practicing hard each day. But to see it, you know, pay off and get some wins, get some championships, get to the Super Bowl, things that like, (it) paid off. Yeah, it felt good."

So heading into 2026, what has been the biggest change in Stevenson's game from last season to this season?

"Just trying to stay in shape," he said. "I wouldn't say it's nothing really I changed like that, but just trying to stay in shape. (I) kind of say the same thing every spring. I feel like, you know, it's a long season, just getting ready for the long season."

That sentence -- "nothing really I changed" -- is a great thing to hear if you're a Patriots fan. Stevenson has become one of the pillars of this team since getting drafted in 2021 and his running style has proven to be a success. If you take out the fumbles, which Stevenson did post-Week 5 last season, he has the talent to be one of the top running backs in the NFL.

Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) jogs off the field after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

On the field, it was another solid year for Stevenson personally. He rushed for 603 yards on the ground, added 345 more as a receiver and found the end zone nine times in the regular season. His hard running style complimented the rookie TreVeyon Henderson's speed, and it created a 1-2 punch.

It might not have been Stevenson's top season in terms of personal statistics (that would be 2022, when he had 1,040 rushing yards and six total touchdowns), but last year just showed his resilience. Before the year, his father Robert passed away at the age of 54. Once the season began, fumbling became an issue for the running back. The start of last season was hard on him.

Rhamondre Stevenson Had Major Offensive Output In 2025

It wasn't until a flip switched in October that Stevenson reverted back to his old self. The ball, once hitting the ground at a near-weekly pace, was glued to his hands. The Patriots' running game began to click, and the veteran is a main reason why.

So Stevenson's game should remain the same as it did last year. He did admit that he had his personal trainer back home in Las Vegas update his offseason workouts to get ready for the year, but when it comes to strapping the pads on, Stevenson will be the same player you've seen in seasons past.

"We're Ahead Of Where We Were Last Year"

Right now, it's hard to truly get a gauge on the running backs in a non-padded practice, but Stevenson likes where the Patriots are at this point in the year.

"Just us as a skill group, reading the defenses," Stevenson said, "I'll just say we're ahead of where we were last year at this point."

Stevenson should be in line for another successful season. Why? A rising tide lifts all boats. The success of Drake Maye can help the offense take another jump forward. Trading for A.J. Brown makes defenses focus on the passing game more. Bringing in Caleb Lomu and Alijah Vera-Tucker brings more manpower to the offensive line -- allowing more running lanes to open up. All of these things should help Stevenson this year.

Sure, it may seem daunting to think a player didn't tweak his game in the offseason. After all, there's always room for improvement, right? For Stevenson, if it isn't broken, there's no need to fix it.

In his case, he just wants to be the same old Rhamondre Stevenson that he's always been.

"There's no ones, twos, three right now, so we're just all out here working hard, trying to get better," he said.

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