Rhammond Stevenson had a good afternoon running the ball in Arizona. But it was another part of the patriots running game that earned praise from the radio personality Scott Zolak — Pass protection.
Stevenson ran the ball 16 times for 69 yards on Sunday loss to the Cardinals. But after the game, it was Stevenson’s impressive blitz pickups that were a focal point for the Patriot radio color commentator. Zolak, a former quarterback at New England, is also the co-host of 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” show.
Stevenson agreed with Zolak’s point that his pass protection has improved over the years. The fourth-year running back group said it has Patriots legend James White to thank for that.
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“I have been working on it a lot. You probably hear me say this all the time, I saw a lot of James White movies,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson was teammates with White in his first year in the NFL in 2021. White, who scored the game-winning touchdown to cap the famous comeback victory in Super Bowl LI, is remembered as a third down of the clutch that stood out as a receiver. and a blocker.
White played just three games alongside Stevenson in 2021 before suffering a devastating hip injury. Still, the Super Bowl hero made a big impact on Stevenson early in his career.
“Just watching him and having him around, as a younger guy, helped me a lot,” Stevenson said. “I think it’s showing on tape this year.”
During his eight seasons in New England, White added to the Patriots’ list of all-time receptions leaders. He ranks eighth in franchise history, ahead of wide receiver Irving Fryar and behind Kevin Faulk, another iconic New England quarterback.
At 6-foot-0, 227 pounds, Stevenson is known to be a powerful runner. However, he has also proven to be an expert in the passing game. He has caught 152 career passes for the Patriots, which ranks 36th in franchise history.