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.
