The 2021 NFL season was somewhat of a roller coaster for Rhamondre Stevenson.
Stevenson, a fourth-round pick in last year's draft, didn't get off on the best foot in Foxboro, highlighted by a failed conditioning test in the preseason. The Oklahoma product ultimately earned his playing time in training camp, but he was brought back down to earth once again via a Week 1 fumble.
That miscue didn't keep Stevenson in Belichick's doghouse as many expected, however. The 23-year-old ultimately put together a solid rookie season, rushing for 606 yards with five touchdowns while adding 14 catches for 123 yards over 12 games. Stevenson managed to accumulate those numbers despite a concussion and a bout with COVID-19 over the course of the campaign.
In a conversation with ESPN's Mike Reiss, Stevenson chose words on opposite ends of the spectrum to sum up his first professional season.
"It was kind of stressful, but successful I would say," Stevenson told Reiss. "Those are two words I would use. It was stressful just because of the daily grind of the NFL player. But the success part was on the field, and learning how to be a pro."
Offseason work now awaits Stevenson, who told Reiss that route-running and hauling in passes out of the backfield will be a "big focus" for him this spring. Stevenson also plans to attend the Patriots' voluntary offseason program scheduled for April.
NESN's big game coverage is presented by Berkshire Bank.
