After Patriots’ $36M News, Ex-Chiefs HC Reveals How Tom Brady Era Can Return as Rhamondre Stevenson Signs 4-Year Deal

Picture this: It’s January 14, 2006, and snow is falling in Foxborough like confetti at a championship parade. Tom Brady, still more game manager than GOAT, hands off to Corey Dillon. The bruising back plows through the Broncos‘ defense like a snowplow, racking up 57 yards. Fast forward to 2024, and the Patriots are dusting off that old playbook, making it rain greenbacks instead of snowflakes. They’ve just handed running back Rhamondre Stevenson a four-year, $36 million deal.

Commenting on this uncanny similarity, the former Chief’s head coach, Herm Edwards commented on the NFL on ESPN. He cemented, “This offense is going to run through the running back. This is going to be one of those grind-out offenses where we’re going to hammer the ball, set up the play-action pass. We are not gonna turn the ball over…Does that sound kind of familiar? When Tom Brady was a quarterback there early in his career before he became Captain America, they are gonna go back to the old tradition of running the football.”

Edwards’ words paint a picture of an offense that’s old-school. It’s reminiscent of the 2004 season when Brady threw for just 3,692 yards, but the Pats still marched to a Super Bowl victory on the legs of Corey Dillon’s 1,635-yard campaign. Now that they’ve not only locked up Stevenson but also brought in Antonio Gibson, it looks like they’re channeling the spirit of the 2001 season, when Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk combined for 1,326 rushing yards, paving the way for Brady’s first Super Bowl win.

This 36 million-dollar move has got everyone from barstool pundits to hall-of-fame coaches doing a double-take, wondering if a “Throwback Thursday” is on the cards. Adam Schefter mentioned, “Moments ago, the New England Patriots and Rhamondre Stevenson reached agreement on a four-year extension that includes 36 million, 17 fully guaranteed.”

Indeed, a bold move from the Patriots, one that made Stevenson the seventh highest-paid RB in the league with a $48 million signing bonus. Additionally, per the NFL Network, $12 million will be given in incentives, provided that the football running back manages to cover 1,400 yards at least and register his name in the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team.

However, this step of the Patriots was expected by many NFL analysts. Even Edwards pointed out, “They have a quarterback issue. Your bell cow and your best player is your running back.” The host on the show also remarked that such a massive contract for a running back in the Patriots is fresh. During Bill Belichick’s tenure, especially the last two decades, “they don’t pay the running backs.” New head coach Jerod Mayo and EVP Eliot Wolf are taking the lessons from the past seriously as they devise their strategy in the form of Rhamondre Stevenson.

Rhamondre Stevenson, a possible trump card for the New England Patriots

Stevenson isn’t just chasing yards; he’s chasing history. With 2,265 rushing yards already under his belt, he’s eyeing Sam “Bam” Cunningham’s franchise record of 5,453 yards. Cunningham, who could bulldoze defenders like a human wrecking ball, set the bar high, but Stevenson’s got four years to reach it.

The young back has been putting in work this offseason, trimming down and adding some pep to his step. Coach Mayo noticed the same, and commented on the Patriots’ official website, “I think he’s one of the better backs in the league, it’s no doubt about it.” Given such a high praise even the RB is not shying away from all the hard work.

As he mentioned, “Yeah, well honestly, I watch all running backs. Just seeing how the runs are hitting – outside zone – they’re a heavy outside zone team in Cleveland, which we are bringing in over here now,” showcasing his dedication toward creating impact and initiating a change. This 4- year move undoubtedly signals a return to the Patriots’ roots when the running game was king and Brady was still instituting his impact.

As Herm Edwards puts it, “We’re going to pay our best player. That’s this guy and we don’t care what anybody else is. We are the New England Patriots.” It’s a bold strategy, no doubt but it remains to be seen if it will eventually pay off for the veteran team.