FOXBORO \u2014 TreVeyon Henderson has turned heads with his speed and burst in his first NFL training camp.<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t take long for that to translate to a game setting.<\/p>\n
During Friday night\u2019s preseason opener against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots rookie running back received the opening kickoff at his own goal line, found a seam on the left side and took off. After getting a key block from fellow rookie Elijah Ponder, Henderson reversed field, broke a tackle at New England\u2019s 40-yard line and then outran Commanders kickoff man Tress Way to score a 100-yard touchdown on his first touch as a pro.<\/p>\n
THE FIRST TIME HE TOUCHED THE BALL IN THE NFL!!!!@TreVeyonH4<\/a> | @NFL<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa: WBZ pic.twitter.com\/NcT2a635nx<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Henderson, a second-round draft pick who rushed for 1,016 yards and averaged 7.1 yards per carry for Ohio State last season, already was expected to factor into New England\u2019s backfield rotation along with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. This emphatic introduction showed he could be an impact player in the kicking game, too.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s going to be a problem!\u201d Patriots great James White posted on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Later, the way the Patriots deployed Henderson on offense suggested he might be close to leapfrogging both of his veteran position mates on the running back depth chart.<\/p>\n Stevenson started the game, but Henderson was heavily involved during starting quarterback Drake Maye\u2019s two possessions, catching three passes for 12 yards and ripping off an 18-yard carry. On his third reception \u2014 which came out of a \u201cpony\u201d set with Henderson and Stevenson flanking Maye \u2014 he shook a would-be tackler and then trucked a Washington defender after picking up a first down. Maye scrambled in for a 5-yard touchdown three plays later.<\/p>\n New England lifted Maye after that series and inserted Joshua Dobbs. Notably, Henderson did not play any snaps with the backup QB, watching from the sideline as Stevenson, Gibson and later undrafted rookie Lan Larison rotated. Stevenson was shut down for the night after Dobbs\u2019 first drive.<\/p>\n Earlier in the week, after Henderson caught two touchdown passes from Maye in one practice and began eating into Stevenson\u2019s first-team reps<\/a>, Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss called the 22-year-old \u201can amazing addition to this team.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see nothing but greatness in him,\u201d Elliss said. \u201cI think he\u2019s gonna be amazing. I can\u2019t speak highly enough of him. He even got me on a go route the other day that I just, I honestly wasn\u2019t expecting out of him. And he just keeps showing that he can play.\u201d<\/p>\n Originally Published: August 8, 2025 at 8:32 PM EDT<\/p>\n