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 running back cuts through the Broncos‘ defense like a snowplow, racking up 57 yards, and becomes one of the shining lights in a forgettable outing. Fast forward to 2024, and the Patriots are dusting off that old playbook. They’ve just handed Rhamondre Stevenson a four-year, $36 million deal, making him the seventh highest-paid RB in the league on a per-year salary basis.

This 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. Commenting on the uncanny similarity, former Chiefs‘ head coach, Herm Edwards, said, “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 2001 season, when Brady won his first Super Bowl, with Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk’s combined 1,326 rushing yards.

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This step of the Patriots was expected by many NFL analysts. “They have a quarterback issue. Your bell cow and your best player is your running back,” Edwards pointed 0ut. The host on the show also remarked that such a massive contract for a running back in the Patriots is a change. 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.

Indeed, a bold move from the Patriots. Notably, Stevenson, who will receive a $8 million signing bonus, can take home way more than $36 million! $12 million will be up for grabs (from next season onward) as incentives if he manages to cover at least 1,400 yards and get named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team. While the 26-year-old has not made it to a Pro-Bowl or All-Pro yet, he gained 1,461 yards from scrimmage, back in the 2022 regular season.

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. The Patriots Hall of Famer, who could bulldoze defenders like a human wrecking ball, set the bar high, but Stevenson’s got four years to reach it, a wish come true scenario for him.

Back in April, the RB had expressed his fondness for the franchise in a press conference at the Gillette Stadium. He said, “Yeah, I would say I love Boston. I love the Patriots. I love the organization…And yeah, I would love to be here for countless amount of years.”

The young player 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 high praise, even the RB is not shying away from all the hard work.

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.