TreVeyon Henderson's TD Proved Exactly What Patriots Offense Needs

FOXBORO — A week ago, the New England Patriots could barely muster anything on the ground.

Enter: TreVeyon Henderson. Blink and you might miss him.

In his season debut, the running back racked up a team-high 76 rushing yards and the game's lone offensive score. He took a Drake Maye handoff out of shotgun, waited for a lane to open up and burst through the line.

Immediately, the Patriots were up 7-0 after Henderson's scampered 39 yards for the score. That's what the offense was missing in their Week 1 loss in Seattle, and it's what they'll need to rely on moving forward.

"I'm thankful. I'm thankful that the Lord gave me this opportunity to be back out here with my teammates," Henderson said after the Patriots' 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. "And just being able to serve them and being able to come out there and just give the best that I can do to help this team in games. And so I'm grateful."

Sep 20, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) runs the ball against Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (6) in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Explosive plays, or "X plays" as Mike Vrabel refers to them as, can come from anywhere. But Henderson seems to be the one who can consistently make them happen.

"That's what you need," Vrabel said. "We talked about creating X plays offensively — you need great execution and extra effort. And I think we had good execution, and then Pop (Douglas) provided the extra effort to spring the block there that got Henderson into the end zone.

"I couldn't have done it without the offensive linemen and the receivers and the tight ens and everyone just doing their job," Henderson said. "It's a team game, and so I can't do it by myself. I need those guys up front, and so I appreciate them for taking care of the dirty work."

Henderson's Big Game Was Needed

Henderson entered the game after starter Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled the ball for yet another time (his third against the Steelers in two years). Even with an ankle injury that held him out of the opener, he didn't look like he lost a step. At all. He'll be a big piece for this team every single week.

"We work really hard, we put a lot of work in," Henderson said about how nice it was to get that first win. "Just keep coming in each and every day and just getting better."

The Patriots are going to have to lean on Henderson's burst and quickness a lot, especially if the passing game struggles in the weeks to come. Yes, they got the win and yes, Maye looked solid in spurts. But he still made a bad decision on an interception he threw in the third quarter and just doesn't seem like he's commanding the field confidently yet.

Running Game Ticking Upwards

That will change as the season rolls on, but for the meantime, the running game will need to help carry the load. Some of Henderson's non-scoring runs don't amount to much — there were a few rushes where he just got swallowed up immediately — but the threat that he poses as a weapon should make defenses worried.

"Finishing games is really our identity," he said. "We're just going to continue to look to grow and build."

Right now, the Patriots offense isn't the menacing part of this roster. If Henderson keeps this up and can stack some weeks together, they'll become really scary.

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