New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye offered a pointed defense of teammate Rhamondre Stevenson on Thursday after the veteran running back appeared at practice in Munich, Germany, despite widespread reports that a knee injury would keep him out for weeks.
Maye also took the opportunity to fire a shot at the media in the process.
Stevenson left last Sunday’s 45-27 home loss to the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter after being twisted down on a short reception.
Subsequent reporting from Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport described a tendon issue behind the knee that was not expected to require surgery but could sideline him for a short stretch.
He sat out Wednesday’s practice, which only reinforced those expectations heading into the Patriots’ international trip.
By Thursday, however, Stevenson was working off to the side during the team’s walkthrough at the FC Bayern Munich training ground.
The upgrade from a full non-participant the day before immediately drew notice, and Maye used the moment to push back on the earlier narrative.
“I think that just speaks to, first off, the media not really knowing what they’re talking about a lot of the time,” Maye said, according to Patriots reporter Andrew Callahan. “And just a guy that wants to be out there, wants to be back for the team and that — we’re in the midst of trying to make a make a run here and win a big one before the bye.”
The timing matters. New England sits at 5-4 and faces the Detroit Lions on Sunday morning in Munich before its Week 11 bye.
A loss would leave the club in a deeper hole heading into a rugged second-half stretch that includes games against Buffalo, Minnesota, and Kansas City. Stevenson has been the Patriots’ primary back this season, contributing as both a rusher and a reliable pass-protector and receiver.
With TreVeyon Henderson already unavailable, his presence would stabilize an otherwise thin backfield that would otherwise lean on Corey Kiner and depth options.
Teammates have echoed the sentiment that Stevenson is pushing hard to return.
Wide receiver DeMario Douglas described conversations in which the running back insisted he would do whatever he could to get back on the field.
While Stevenson remains listed as doubtful and any Sunday role would likely be limited, his unexpected availability in Munich has shifted the conversation from a multi-week absence to a possible game-time decision.
For Maye and the Patriots, the episode is less about scoring points against reporters than about the urgency of the moment.
With a bye on the horizon and a difficult schedule waiting, the quarterback sees Stevenson’s determination as the kind of response the team needs if it intends to stay in the playoff picture.
Whether that translates into meaningful snaps against the Lions remains uncertain, but the message from the quarterback was clear: the man in the room wants to play, and the circumstances around him are more fluid than the early reports suggested.
