TAMPA, Fla. — With Kayshon Boutte sidelined with a hamstring harm and Rhamondre Stevenson nursing an injured toe, Sunday’s recreation represented the clearest alternative but for a pair of speedy Patriots rookies.
Kyle Williams and TreVeyon Henderson each capitalized, ripping off three big-play touchdowns to assist New England defeat the Buccaneers 28-23.
Williams, pushed up the depth chart in starter Boutte’s absence, took his first goal late within the first quarter 72 yards to paydirt.
The seldom-used third-round draft choose gained separation from Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison on an over route, caught a move from Drake Maye at New England’s 41-yard line and sprinted untouched down the sideline, leaving security Tykee Smith in his wake. It was his first NFL landing.
“Kyle’s play early, we actually wanted that one,” head coach Mike Vrabel mentioned. “That was the one we have been speaking about, simply needing one play. He hit it, and it was nice to see him have that success.”
Williams, who ran a 4.4-second 40-yard sprint on the NFL Scouting Mix, hit a high velocity of 21.78 mph on the play, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats, the quickest recorded by any rookie ball-carrier this season.
Pats rookie WR Kyle Williams takes off for a 72-yard rating!
NEvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/2iQpcxOXe3
— NFL (@NFL) November 9, 2025
That document stood for lower than an hour.
Two performs into the second half, with the Patriots holding a 14-10 lead, Henderson shot by means of the road of scrimmage, ran by means of a Smith arm sort out and galloped by means of the Tampa Bay secondary. When he hit the 45-yard line, teammate Mack Hollins caught his hand up and commenced high-stepping, understanding the second-round rookie was gone.
Henderson’s high velocity on the 55-yard landing run: 22.01 mph.
“(Williams and) TreVeyon, in the event that they get going, you’re not catching them,” Maye mentioned.
Watch that boy GOOOOOO!!@TreVeyonH4 | #NEPats
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/7sb9b3eQ92
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 9, 2025
Henderson later added one other 69-yard landing sprint to all however ice the sport with 1:31 remaining. He turned the primary Patriots participant ever to hurry for 2 50-plus-yard touchdowns in the identical recreation.
.@TreVeyonH4 IS STILL RUNNING
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/0PrhqW5xrQ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 9, 2025
The 2 rookies have been comparatively quiet for the remainder of the sport — Williams’ solely different goal fell incomplete, and Henderson’s 13 non-touchdown touches gained a complete of 26 yards — however the Patriots had been ready for each to flash any such score-from-anywhere explosiveness.
Williams entered Sunday with simply two profession receptions for 20 yards, each of which got here within the first three weeks of the season. He’d been on the sphere for 70 passing performs, per Professional Soccer Focus, and was focused on simply six of them.
However with Boutte, the Patriots’ second-leading receiver this season behind Stefon Diggs, unavailable in opposition to the Buccaneers, Williams turned a extra outstanding a part of New England’s recreation plan.
“I’m simply pleased with him for stepping up,” Maye mentioned. “He solely received perhaps one goal and made it rely. So I’m simply pleased with him for getting in there. He received numerous reps this week, and I feel there have been some occasions on the tape the place he was in all probability extra open. I’ve simply received to look his approach.”
Maye had two choices on his scoring play, Williams defined, and selected to focus on the younger Washington State product. As he crossed the purpose line, a handful of teammates — together with wideouts Diggs, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III — ran off the sideline to rejoice with him.
“It was sensational,” Williams mentioned. “I don’t assume phrases can actually put a proof on that feeling. We received the look that we wish. Shoutout to Drake for making an alert. At that play, he will get to select one or two, and he picked me. After which as soon as the ball was in my hand, I noticed inexperienced grass, and it was bon voyage after that.”
Henderson has seen extra enjoying time than Williams this season, however dwelling as much as his preseason hype has been a battle for the second-round draft choose. Seen as a pro-ready prospect, the previous Ohio State star had main points in move safety early within the season that restricted his function. He’s additionally had issue breaking off huge positive factors, registering only one run longer than 20 yards over the primary 9 weeks of his profession.
After Henderson was tripped up by a security on his first carry in opposition to the Bucs, he heard about it at halftime from Diggs.
“I’m undoubtedly laborious on TreVeyon, simply because I see a lot potential in him,” the veteran wideout mentioned. “When one man tackles him and stuff like that — I’ve been round some nice backs in my profession, and I used to be telling him, ‘These nice backs don’t get tackled. I wish to see you rating.’ I used to be speaking mad junk to him at halftime. I used to be simply being laborious on him.”
Diggs was completely satisfied to see his motivational methods repay within the second half.
“I’m pleased with him,” he mentioned. “… He’s lastly scoring touchdowns, lastly working away from guys. … Him coming on the market and busting two of them, it’s like, it’s good to be laborious on folks, I suppose.”
Henderson admitted Sunday’s recreation was “quite a bit” for him. Stevenson was inactive for the second straight recreation, and fellow RB Terrell Jennings exited with a knee harm within the first half, leaving Henderson and follow squad call-up D’Ernest Johnson as New England’s solely backfield choices for a lot of the recreation.
“It was laborious, however one thing that I pray on is simply embracing hardships, embracing challenges,” mentioned Henderson, who completed with a career-high 147 yards on 14 carries. “To simply accept that it’s going to be laborious. It’s not going to be simple. As soon as seeing Terrell go down, I knew I used to be going to have to hold a a lot greater workload, so I thank God as a result of I really feel this week I’ve been pushing myself to only put together for when these moments come.”
The Patriots additionally received key contributions from a number of different rookies in Sunday’s victory, which pushed their document to 8-2. Will Campbell performed each snap at left sort out, Elijah Ponder sacked Baker Mayfield as soon as and Craig Woodson had a key move breakup on a late-game third down.
“I feel we (rookies) are legit as a complete group,” Williams mentioned.
