The New England Patriots won a hard-fought Week 8 game against the Miami Dolphins, 24-19. The win pushed their season record to 5- 3 and was pivotal if the Patriots are to challenge the dominant Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title this season.
One Patriot who notched an individual achievement against Miami was Rhamondre Stevenson. He joined only three other Patriots running backs with over 4,000 career rushing yards.
With his 7-yard run in the third quarter, @Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson joins Sam Cunningham (5,453), Jim Nance (5,323) and Tony Collins (4,647) as the only Patriots players to reach 4,000 rushing yards. pic.twitter.com/W2QJhG4IHC
— Patriots Communications (@PatriotsComms) November 1, 2026
Stevenson joins former Patriots star rushers Sam Cunningham, Jim Nance, and Tony Collins in that elite club. He recorded 82 yards on 19 carries in Sunday's game, bringing his career rushing total to a healthy 4,036 yards.
Rhamondre Stevenson continues to be a consistent performer for the Patriots
Rhamondre Stevenson now has 367 yards, a 3.8 average, and 2 touchdowns for the 2026 season, leading all Patriots backs. Stevenson has had to pick up the slack for second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson, who's had a slow 2026 season and has been plagued by injuries.
It's been up to Stevenson to carry the running game alongside Drake Maye.
Cunningham leads all Patriots rushers with 5,453 yards, a number Stevenson may match or exceed if he stays in Foxborough for two or three more seasons. Right now, there is no reason we shouldn't. He's clearly the Patriots' best and most reliable running back.
The problem in 2026 is that Stevenson has only 367 yards so far. That's not much of a complement to Drake Maye.
The running back situation, due to Henderson's injury, and the still-substandard offensive line have been serious impediments to the Patriots racking up even more points.
Fortunately, against Miami, Maye had a second consecutive sensational game, throwing for 199 yards on 16-for-20 passing, with two touchdowns. He's now brought his season completion percentage up to 67.1, after a slow start in the Patriots' first few games.
Even with critical injuries to his top three receivers, A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, and Mack Hollins, Maye is once again playing like the MVP candidate he was in 2025.
Maye's return to form is essential since the Patriots' running back production has fallen off the table this season. Thankfully, Stevenson's excellent game last week may be a harbinger of more good things to come on the ground for the Patriots, whose offense still isn't opening up enough holes for the backs.
Regardless, Stevenson's individual achievement of joining three of the Patriots' greatest backs in history should be noted and applauded. Hopefully, he'll continue his upward trend in 2026 to complement Maye's outstanding passing.
Once the Patriots return to full health, they might again challenge the Buffalo Bills for the top of the heap in the AFC East Division.
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