New England Patriots - NESN.com
Changes were aplenty for the New England Patriots this offseason, including on the coaching staff. While the decision to hire Mike Vrabel as the team’s new head coach caught a lot of attention, his decision to hire Josh McDaniels as his offensive coordinator could end up being quite important.
This is McDaniels’ third stint with New England as their offensive coordinator, and his task will be different this time around. Rather than working with Tom Brady to elevate the offense, McDaniels will be working to help Drake Maye and company simply be a consistent, competent offense.
One guy who has experience with McDaniels is running back Rhamondre Stevenson. As a rookie in 2021, Stevenson immediately became a key piece of McDaniels’ offense, racking up 606 yards and five touchdowns over 12 games of action.
Now, Stevenson is the lead running back, with TreVeyon Henderson and Antonio Gibson also factoring into the mix. While he’s got some competition for snaps, Stevenson revealed that he’s thrilled to be working with McDaniels once again.
“I love Josh,” Stevenson said of McDaniels after the team’s practice on Thursday. “I’m very comfortable with him. He knows my strengths.”
The 2024 season was a mess for New England’s offense as a whole, and that included Stevenson. In 15 games, Stevenson tallied 801 yards and seven touchdowns, while also catching 33 passes for 168 yards and another score, but he also lost seven fumbles along the way.
With Henderson and Gibson in town, Stevenson doesn’t have the leeway he had last season if he struggles again. However, having McDaniels back in town could give him a leg up, as he already has experience playing in his system.
Stevenson needs to have a strong 2025 campaign, or his future with New England could be in jeopardy. With McDaniels leading the offense, though, it looks like Stevenson is in the right frame of mind heading into the new season.
