Patriots starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson has fumbled in each of the club’s first four games this season, and we recently heard that head coach Jerod Mayo was considering a demotion for his RB1 as a result. Shortly after Mayo made those comments, he followed through with the plan.
As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com details, Mayo will start Antonio Gibson over Stevenson in New England’s Week 5 contest against the Dolphins. The first-year HC discussed that decision on a recent appearance on the Patriots All-Access television program, saying, “[I had] a conversation with Rhamondre and he won’t be starting. I’ll be upfront and transparent. But he will play. And he understands he has to protect the football going forward.”
Earlier in the week, Mayo was more pointed with his comments. He said, “I’ve had multiple conversations with Rhamondre. But look, we can’t preach that ball security is job security and still have him out there the majority of the time.”
Stevenson, 26, signed a four-year, $36MM extension this offseason, a deal that placed him seventh in the league’s RB hierarchy in terms of average annual value. It also featured $17MM in guaranteed money and underscored the club’s faith in his ability to serve as a focal point of its offense as it transitions to the Drake Maye era.
Coming into the 2024 season, Stevenson had fumbled the ball seven times in 499 carries; his four fumbles this year have come on 65 carries. That could obviously be a mere anomaly that will correct itself, and despite the demotion, Mayo’s comments suggest that Stevenson will still have a role in the offense and will have a chance to get himself right.
Stevenson has turned his 65 carries into 267 yards (good for a 4.1 YPC average) and two touchdowns. Gibson, who is in his first year in Foxborough after signing a three-year, $11.25MM deal in March, has been more efficient with his lesser workload, gaining 155 yards on 29 carries (5.3 YPC). He proved himself to be a capable receiver during the first four years of his career in Washington, and he has seven catches for 82 yards in 2024.
“I’m more disappointed in myself than anyone could ever be,” Stevenson said. “It’s very simple: I just have to hold on to the ball and have that mentality to come up with the ball every time. It’s my job to do that, and I haven’t been doing it well.”
Gibson is no stranger to fumble troubles of his own, and as Reiss writes in a separate piece, Gibson has expressed support for Stevenson and has encouraged him to stay off of social media.
Sounds like they are just getting ready to trade Stevenson to me. Not a bad idea, DAL needs to be calling them RIGHT NOW. Fumbles aside Rhamondre is a beast.
I think they felt the need to bench him on principle because they preach the importance of ball security, but he’ll be back starting before long.
Show him some old Before/After film of Tiki Barber.
Carry the ball higher, up in your armpit if that’s a better visual … dumdum
How many times have carried the ball?
Hey Oooof,
Yeah I know that’s the obvious coaching move, and I respect it. I was just throwing out my comment as a possible ‘between the lines’ move. I doubt NE would want to part with a talent like Stevenson considering how few weapons they have. But if they did want to move him for some draft picks I doubt NE fans would hate the move. Pats aren’t winning anything this year, building towards the future is the next best thing imo.
Seems unlikely they’d do that, both because they have so little on offense and because it would be right after extending him.
So Mayo is going to replace a fumbling RB with one that turns over the ball at the same frequency as Melvin Gordon? That should convince Kraft that he found a terrific replacement for Belichick.
Remember that this hire was five years in the making as well.
Hmmm let’s see he has 6 carries and 47 yards and TD. So far today….doesn’t sound like he was benched to me. Writers should check their sources before writing crappy articles. Hmmm sounds like this guy needs fact checked. Maybe he used to work for Fox
Jerry Seinfeld: You see, Rhamondre, you know how to “advance” the ball. You just don’t know how to “hold” the ball. And that’s the most important part of football. The hold. Anyone can advance.