When the New England Patriots take the field Sunday against the hard-charging Green Bay Packers Sunday in Foxborough, they will not have running back TreVeyon Henderson in the lineup.
Previously, Henderson had been battling a high ankle sprain, however things turned more serious for the former Ohio State running back. He revealed that he suffered “an unexpected and unusual medical emergency that had unexplained neurological symptoms.”
He went into further detail with a long explanation that he posted on social media. “Recently, I experienced an unexpected and unusual medical emergency involving a series of unexplained neurological symptoms that required hospitalization for several days,” Henderson posted, via Chad Graff of The Athletic. “During that time I underwent extensive medical testing and evaluation. While the results of my comprehensive medical testing have come back positive and reassuring, the cause of this remains unknown and unexplainable.”
Henderson went on to thank the Patriots for their support and said that his wife was helping him get through the event.
As a result, Henderson will not be in the lineup against Green Bay and head coach Mike Vrabel does not know when Henderson will be able to return to game action. He made it clear that Henderson's care, comfort and recovery are the priorities and that he was not about to put a timeline on Henderson's return to the lineup.
Vrabel explained that from a football perspective, the Patriots would concentrate on the players that are available. As far as the New England running backs are concerned, that means Rhamondre Stevenson, Cory Kiner, and Lan Larison will be the back who will see action.
Patriots are dependent on Rhamondre Stevenson for all facets
Stevenson is New England's go-to running back, and he is clearly a back who is vital to the New England game plan. He is not a burner, but he can run between the tackles, finish his runs with a burst and also catch passes out of the backfield.
Stevenson has 96 rushing attempts for 367 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 rushing plays of 20 yards or more. Stevenson has also caught 23 passes from Drake Maye for 212 yards and 1 touchdown.
Kiner has shown he can be a key contributor with 42 carries for 189 yards and 2 TDs. While Kiner is getting an opportunity because of Henderson's medical situation, his thoughts are with his backfield mate.
“It definitely is difficult when a brother like that goes down,” Kiner said, per Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe. “It’s sad for the whole team when a guy like that goes down because he’s such a pivotal piece of this team. Definitely feeling for him right now, and I let him know that I’m here for him and whatever he needs. That’s my brother.”
WR A.J. Brown is out, and Pats have additional injuries
In addition to Henderson's situation, go-to wide receiver A.J. Brown did not practice at all this week due to ankle and knee problems and he will not play against the Packers. Fellow wideout Mack Hollins has a calf injury and he is listed as questionable. He was limited in practice in three straight practice sessions. Doubs is on Injured Reserve with a shoulder issue and he will miss his third straight game.
Brown and Doubs were expected to be the two leading receivers for the Patriots this season. Brown has just 9 receptions for 101 yards in 3 games, while Doubs has 14 receptions for 261 yards and 3 TDs in 6 games this season.
Tight end Hunter Henry is one of Maye's go-to receivers in the red zone and on third-down plays. After missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday, he was a limited participant with a foot injury on Friday and he is also questionable.
On the defensive side, safety Kevin Byard had been limited in practice during the first part of the week, but was a full participant Friday. Nevertheless, he is listed as questionable with chest injury. CB Carlton Davis is also listed as questionable with a neck injury.
Patriots will feature little-known WRs
The Patriots are likely to go with DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism and Kyle Williams at the wide receiver spots if Hollins is ruled out of the game.
Douglas is the Patriots' leading receiver this season. He has shown the ability to get open and catch the ball despite tight coverage. He has 26 receptions for 332 yards and 4 TDs. Chism has been a surprise performer this season with 15-151-1 while Williams is a bit of an unknown even though he has caught 7-190-2. His 27.1 yards per reception mark should allow him to have multiple opportunities.
Henry has caught 29-326-2 and is something of a safety blanket for Maye. If he is limited or can't play, the Pats will look to backup TE Eli Raridon. Raridon is a 6-6, 247-pound rookie who was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He has 13 receptions for 173 yards and 2 TDs.