Sep 21, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) hands off the ball to New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) during the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Former Patriots Exec Issues Warning to Rhamondre Stevenson

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Scott Pioli helped win three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots in their front office. The former executive has seen a thing or two, including players who are struggling on the field.

After the Patriots' gut-wrenching loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3, Pioli hopped onto NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Postgame Live show to discuss the loss -- as well as running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who's two costly fumbles might have given the Steelers the win.

Pioli said that Stevenson, albeit a strong player for this team, is now teetering over thinner ice than he once was a month ago.

"It’s game three, and you are only going to get so many chances," Pioli said. "To me, Rhamondre Stevenson is a terrific back. But if he’s not going to hold onto the ball … (the Patriots will say), 'We’re going to give someone else a chance.'"

Stevenson's two turnovers were just a pair of what amounted to five giveaways by the Patriots in the losing effort. When Stevenson was yanked from the game after fumbling at the goal line, backup Antonio Gibson had the ball punched loose. It was a total disaster for the team, who still continues to have rookie TreVeyon Henderson work into the offense parts of the time.

In the locker room, Stevenson gave a direct answer about how if he couldn't hold onto the football, he wasn't a value to the team. Pioli echoed those statements, saying how if you're not helping the Patriots win, they'll find someone who can.

"So, you’re either going to learn how to hold onto the football, or someone else is going to have it, or you’re going to be somewhere else," Pioli said. "That was the rule. 'We’ll get it fixed. If we don’t, we’ll find someone else to do your job. I ain’t mad at you. We’ll just find someone to do your job.'"

The turnovers were also a focal point of Vrabel's first press conference of the new week, adding how the team will continue to roll with Stevenson -- but with a higher intensity of ball security.

"Well, we've got to continue to practice the crap out of it," Vrabel said. "We also have to do a better job of protecting said person with the ball, whether that's the quarterback, whether that's the running back or the receiver. We're all responsible for the security of the football. It starts with the person who has it, and then it falls upon the people that are blocking. Again, we'll continue to rep it. If we have to put two hands on the football, when we're going through there, that's what we'll have to do."

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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