New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is managing a knee tendon issue that is not expected to require surgery, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The condition could still keep him sidelined for a short stretch, adding another layer of uncertainty to a Patriots backfield already thinned by injuries this season.
Stevenson has operated as a central piece of the offense.
Through the early portion of the year, he has carried the ball 102 times for 399 yards and two touchdowns while also contributing in the passing game with 26 receptions for 258 yards and two more scores.
That dual-threat production has made him a reliable option both on the ground and as a check-down or screen target.
His most recent outing against the Green Bay Packers offered a mixed picture. Stevenson managed six carries for 32 yards and added three catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.
While those numbers provided one of the brighter individual performances on a difficult night for the team, he also lost a fumble.
The Patriots committed four turnovers overall in the loss, underscoring how costly even limited mistakes can become when depth is already compromised.
The timing of Stevenson’s knee concern is particularly challenging because of the concurrent absence of TreVeyon Henderson.
Henderson is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks due to a separate health issue, further reducing the available options behind Stevenson.
With both backs limited or unavailable, the running game faces a clear need for immediate production from other personnel.
Corey Kiner stands as the most logical candidate to absorb a larger share of the workload. He has 50 carries for 244 yards and one touchdown this season, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt, with a long run of 32 yards.
He has also caught two passes for 16 yards. His highest carry total in a single game came against the New York Jets in mid-October, when he handled the ball 11 times for 57 yards and a 5.7-yard average.
That outing remains the closest he has come to a featured role, and the current circumstances may require him to operate in that capacity more consistently.
The development also arrives just before the trade deadline, raising the possibility that the Patriots could explore adding another running back for the stretch run.
Stevenson has been a steady contributor for New England across multiple seasons, and the team will hope the tendon issue resolves quickly enough for him to resume that role.
In the meantime, the offense will lean on the remaining depth while monitoring how long both Stevenson and Henderson remain limited. How the group performs without its primary options could shape the Patriots’ approach over the coming weeks.
