Rhamondre Stevenson knows late father is proud after game-winning touchdown helped Patriots clinch playoffs
After losing his father, whom he would talk to before every single game, Stevenson says he had to compartmentalize everything he had going on off the field. At practice and in meetings, he put his best foot forward to get through it with help from coaches and teammates.
In a trying year for the 27-year-old, the reunion with McDaniels was a relief of sorts.
“Josh, specifically, has been very instrumental in keeping me going and just keeping me focused on the task at hand,” said Stevenson.
“He is always just calling me, checking up on me, and we have a very good personal relationship outside of football, so I’m grateful for that.”
While Stevenson has flashed this season, the year hasn’t come without adversity on the field as well.
The running back seems to be back to health after missing three consecutive games in November with a toe injury – crucial in closing out the regular season strong as rookie TreVeyon Henderson is questionable for Week 17 against the Jets. And after fumbling three times in the first five games, ball security has not been an issue since.
“My coaches and my teammates were behind me keeping me confident,” Stevenson said. “I’m the hardest critic of myself, so there’s nothing anybody could really say to get me down. I just keep working.”
When asked about that perspective, Stevenson was reminded of his father, as he is every day.
Stevenson wears a bracelet with his dad’s ashes, only taking it off for games for fear of it breaking. It keeps him close to one of his biggest supporters.
“My dad has been through way more than I’ve been through in real-life situations,” Stevenson said.
“So football and career things, if it’s not going my way it’s easy for me to have the perspective to keep going and stay on track because I know people close to me that had real life things going on and kept pushing through – so that gives me an extra boost of confidence as well.”
Mentally, the culture and chemistry of this Patriots team has been a godsend for Stevenson. He says he loves coming to work and being around his teammates.
Stevenson’s perception of the team’s identity reflects the mentality he’s used to overcome a lot this year.
“Just relentlessness,” Stevenson, one of the longest-tenured Patriots, said of what felt most different about the team this season.
“Things don’t go our way all the time but when they don’t, I feel like we still fight. We put our best foot forward.”
The Patriots will look to carry on the fight this Sunday against the Jets and close out the regular season undefeated on the road.
Stevenson knows his father will be looking on as he has all season, from the best seat in the house.
