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New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson isn't thrilled with his recent fumble streak, to say the least.
Stevenson, who has fumbled in each of the first four games to start the season, expressed some disappointment in himself amid the fumble streak.
“I’m super tough on myself. I’m more disappointed in myself than anyone could ever be,” Stevenson told reporters on Wednesday (h/t Mike Reiss of ESPN)
“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.”
While Stevenson has fumbled in all four games, it started to become an issue over the last two games. The Patriots were able to recover the two fumbles Stevenson had in the first two games, so no harm, no foul. He also rushed for 120 yards in Week 1 and 81 yards in Week 2, with the fumbles in each game coming in the second half.
Unlike the first two games, the Patriots weren't able to recover either of Stevenson's more recent fumbles. They also came on the first play of each drive, allowing the New York Jets to get an easy three points in their 24-3 win over the Patriots in Week 3 and the same for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4.
49ERS BALL pic.twitter.com/DpxLCnZNCG
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) September 29, 2024
Jerod Mayo hints that Rhamondre Stevenson benching
As Stevenson's fumbles have become a detriment to the team, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo wasn't shy in sharing the team's possible plans at running back in Week 5.
“We can’t preach that ball security is job security and still have him out there the majority of the time,” Mayo told reporters on Wednesday. “So, I think it sends a stronger message to the players that there are certain things that we just can’t do to win, especially with the team that we have today.”
Stevenson's fumble streak actually dates back to last year, losing a fumble in the final game he played in during the 2023 season. It's also not the first time fumbles have been a concern with Stevenson during his Patriots tenure. He fumbled on his second touch in his NFL debut in 2021, causing him to be benched for the following three games.
Now as a veteran and one of the key players on the Patriots, Stevenson acknowledged that he could lose his starting job due to fumbling the ball constantly.
“It’s the elephant in the room,” Stevenson said. “I dropped the ball four times, so whatever the coaching staff has planned, I’m rocking with it. Go out there and practice hard like I always do, and we’ll get ready for Sunday.
“I need to hold the ball. It’s a frustrating thing I’m going through right now, but I feel like it’s all smoothing out in the end. I feel like it’s not really like a fundamental thing. I feel like I hold the ball the right way and things like that. But I guess I’m not holding it tight enough. So I’ve got to hold it tight.”
Even with the fumbles, Stevenson has arguably been the Patriots' best skill position player this season. He's rushed for 267 yards on 4.1 yards per carry and two touchdowns, making him the only player on the team with multiple touchdowns. Still, his fumbles are an issue for a team that can't afford many.
If Stevenson's benched, veteran Antonio Gibson will slide into his spot as the starter. If he's not benched, Stevenson will look to end his fumble streak when the Patriots host the Miami Dolphins in Week 5.
