TreVeyon Henderson's name was trending in Patriots circles after a big Sunday in Tampa.
TreVeyon Henderson's name was trending in Patriots circles after a big Sunday in Tampa.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
TAMPA — On a toss play in the final minutes of the fourth quarter Sunday, Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson managed to stay on his feet and break free along the sideline.
Henderson sprinted for about 60 or so yards, but slowed up as he approached the end zone and turned to the sideline to look at the New England coaching staff. With the Patriots leading, 21-16, and just over 90 seconds left in the game, he didn’t know if he should score or slide.
A score would give Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers the ball back with two timeouts remaining. A slide would allow the Patriots to attempt to bleed out the rest of the clock.
“I was kind of confused,” Henderson said. “I tried to make sure to check with the coaches real quick to see what they wanted me to do, but I knew I had the guys running behind me as well, so I had to make a decision in two seconds.”
Henderson ended up crossing the goal line for a 69-yard touchdown. The Buccaneers scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession but weren’t able to recover an onside kick, which sealed the Patriots’ 28-23 victory.
.@TreVeyonH4 IS STILL RUNNING
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/0PrhqW5xrQ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 9, 2025
The game was a bit of a coming out party for Henderson, who also scored a 55-yard touchdown after slipping through traffic and outrunning multiple defenders in the third quarter. He almost broke free for another explosive play in the first quarter, but Tampa Bay linebacker Jamel Dean was able to reach to bring him down.
“Those were important,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “We needed it.”
After flashing his dynamism and playmaking ability during training camp, Henderson’s had a quiet start to the regular season. The Patriots have leaned heavily on veteran Rhamondre Stevenson to handle the bulk of the carries, with Henderson rotating in at times.
But Stevenson has been sidelined the past two weeks with a toe injury, allowing for Henderson to take on a larger role. On Sunday, Terrell Jennings, the third running back on the 53-man roster, suffered a knee injury early that sidelined him for three quarters and further intensified Henderson’s workload.
Henderson embraced the opportunity — and delivered. He had logged extra conditioning hours in the week leading up to the game in preparation for Florida’s humid conditions. Once the game started, he wanted to stay decisive in his cuts and credited the offensive line for opening up holes for him.
Henderson finished with a career-high 147 rushing yards and the two scores on 14 carries. On his first touchdown run, he reached a top speed of 22.01 m.p.h., which is the fastest speed recorded by a rookie ball carrier this season, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. On his second TD run, he reached a top speed of 21.38 m.p.h.
“He’s finally scoring touchdowns and he’s finally running away from guys,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. “I’m definitely hard on TreVeyon just because I see so much potential. When one guy tackles him and stuff like that — I’ve been around some great backs in my career, so I tell him, ‘Those great backs don’t get tackled. I want to see you score.’ ”
It’s unclear how long Stevenson will be sidelined — he hasn’t practiced at all over the past two weeks — but Henderson’s development is a welcomed spark for the Patriots. Outside of the explosive runs, Henderson did struggle to run the ball effectively with 12 carries for just 23 yards. But he’s hopeful he can continue to generate big plays, as he also balances improving his pass protection and other assignments in blitz pickup.
“The season comes with a lot of ups and downs here in the NFL,” he said. “I’m learning that.”
Henderson, drafted in the second round with the 38th overall pick, wasn’t the only rookie to shine Sunday, as wide receiver Kyle Williams turned on the jets and took a catch 72 yards to the house at the end of the first quarter.
Kyle Williams was off to the races for his 72-yard TD reception after beating the Buccaneers' Bejamin Morrison to the ball.
Kyle Williams was off to the races for his 72-yard TD reception after beating the Buccaneers' Bejamin Morrison to the ball.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Quarterback Drake Maye got rid of the ball right before Buccaneers outside linebacker Chris Broswell Jr. bottled him up, and Williams did the rest. On the play, Williams reached a top speed of 21.78 m.p.h., which is second-fastest speed for a rookie behind Henderson.
“Kyle got out the back door,” Maye said. “He’s fast. You’re not going to catch him. Him and No. 32, TreVeyon, if they get going, you’re not catching them.”
Headed into Sunday, Williams had caught just two passes on six targets for 20 yards. With Kayshon Boutte sidelined this week with a hamstring injury, Williams earned more snaps and knew he had an opportunity to serve as a downfield outlet for Maye. The touchdown reception was his lone target of the day, but he certainly made the most of it.
“We always say prepare as a starter, and I really took that to heart this week because I knew what was at stake,” Williams said. “When you get an opportunity, you’re not promised another one. For me, it was just making the most of it whenever my [opportunities] came and then just stacking. I’m proud of myself.”
The fact that the Patriots can count on their rookies to make plays in critical situations is a promising sign — not just for the remainder of this year, but for the future. In addition to Henderson and Williams, the Patriots have two rookies, left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson, starting on the offensive line.
“I think the organization does a good job of trying to put us in positions that help us really grow into the player they see us becoming,” Henderson said. “I see this rookie class that we have, these guys come to work each and every practice and give it their best. Whenever they get their opportunities, they try their best to take advantage of it. I’m proud of all those guys.”
Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com.Follow her @nicolecyang.