It’s the NFL preseason, which means there’s still a good chunk of time for teams to fine-tune lineups, try newfangled plays and practice answering questions during in-game interviews.
In the New England Patriots’ 14-13 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, Pats running back Rhamondre Stevenson found himself in a bit of an awkward situation in an interview with sideline reporter Steve Burton.
During the third quarter, Burton asked Stevenson about former teammate Matthew Judon being traded to the Atlanta Falcons earlier this week. However, Burton phrased his question in a vague way and didn’t mention Judon’s name, leading Stevenson to believe Burton was asking about another ex-Patriots member.
“I gotta ask you about the guy who just left,” Burton said on the NFL Network telecast. “How much are you gonna miss him, and who’s going to step up in his place?”
“I miss Bill [Belichick],” Stevenson responded. “That was one of my favorite coaches. But, you know, [Jerod] Mayo, he’s a great leader. He knows what he’s doing with us. I’m excited for Mayo and I think we can get it done with him.”
Burton then jumped in to clarify that he wasn’t talking about Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, Bill Belichick’s successor. Rather, he was talking about Stevenson’s former “defensive teammate.”
“Oh, Judon,” Stevenson said. “Excited for him, I still know he has a couple more years in him, so I’m excited for him.”
A slight mix-up with the Q&A 😅 pic.twitter.com/aMlp9188o2
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2024
Stevenson can’t be blamed for his accidental gaffe, as Burton didn’t make the subject of his question clear to begin with and never actually said Judon’s name at any point during the interview. Still, the incident made for arguably the most awkward on-screen moment of the NFL preseason thus far.
This fall, Stevenson, Mayo and the Patriots will look to improve from last year’s dreadful 4-13 campaign while Judon settles into his new team in the NFC South. As for Belichick, he’s snagged one or two media gigs that should keep him busy during the 2024-25 season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rhamondre Stevenson Had Most Awkward Interview of NFL Preseason With Sideline Reporter.
