The New England Patriots spent years searching for pieces that could resemble their last championship offense.
At running back, they may have finally found something close.
Based on yardage and scoring, the pairing of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson is the closest Patriots one to Sony Michel and James White during the 2018 Super Bowl season.
Michel produced 981 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns during the 2018 regular season. White added 1,176 scrimmage yards and 12 scores, combining with Michel for 2,157 yards and 18 touchdowns.
The 2025 Patriots version with Stevenson and Henderson combined for 2,080 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns.
Now in 2026, Sports Illustrated placed Stevenson and Henderson fifth among the NFL’s best running back duos entering 2026. Bleacher Report ranked them eighth.
The production puts New England’s backfield in a class the franchise has not seen in years.
Henderson Changed Stevenson’s Place in Patriots Backfield
Stevenson had already spent four seasons becoming the type of player the Patriots trusted.
A fourth-round pick in 2021, he began his career behind Damien Harris before growing into Bill Belichick’s lead back. Stevenson broke through in 2022 with 1,040 rushing yards, 69 receptions and 1,461 yards from scrimmage.
The Patriots rewarded him two years later with a four-year, $36 million extension.
Then Henderson arrived.
The second-round pick brought a level of speed New England did not have in its backfield. He also carried the draft status and natural ability to push Stevenson’s hold on the job.
That change did not happen immediately.
In six of his first seven appearances, Henderson received fewer than 10 carries and failed to reach 33 rushing yards. His opportunities grew during the second half of the season, and so did the production.
Henderson recorded at least 53 rushing yards in nine of his final 10 appearances when excluding a game he left early because of an injury. He finished with 911 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns and a 5.1-yard average, adding 35 receptions for 221 yards and another score.
His speed changed games.
Henderson became the first Patriots player since 1970 to produce four runs of at least 50 yards in one season. He also joined Chris Johnson as the only players in NFL history with multiple games featuring two 50-yard rushing touchdowns in the same season.
Stevenson’s season required a recovery of its own.
Three fumbles placed his role under scrutiny, and a toe injury cost him three games. He returned to rush for 603 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 345 receiving yards and two scores.
Henderson looked like the more dangerous runner, while Stevenson remained the more dependable all-around option.
The Patriots finished with both en route to a Super Bowl appearance.
Patriots Have Not Had This Combination Since 2018
The closest comparison comes from the final championship season of the Tom Brady era.
Other Patriots pairings produced part of the same formula. Stevenson and Harris combined for 2,020 scrimmage yards in 2022 but scored only nine touchdowns. Harris and Stevenson reached 20 touchdowns in 2021, though they finished with 1,790 yards.
The 2025 duo of Stevenson and Harris supplied both yardage and scoring without either player receiving 200 carries.
Stevenson recorded seven runs of at least 20 yards, while Henderson had six. They were the league’s only two backs to record at least six such runs on fewer than 200 carries.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell also noted that Patriots running backs ranked fifth with a 14.4% explosive-play rate on designed runs. Stevenson and Henderson combined for five runs of at least 50 yards, two more than any other team’s halfbacks.
There were weaknesses.
Pro Football Focus gave Stevenson a 73.7 overall grade, while Henderson received a 68.9. Henderson’s pass protection remained uneven, while Stevenson’s ball security continued to create danger.
Still, the rotation worked.
And with the arrivals of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, plus Drake Maye ‘s mobility, defenses will find difficulty crowding the line of scrimmage in 2026.
It’s time for the former Ohio State and Oklahoma running backs to raise the roof.
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