TreVeyon Henderson returned opening kickoff for touchdown in Patriots preseason opener

We've heard how explosive TreVeyon Henderson can be with the football in his hand. It took the Patriots rookie just one play into the preseason to show off his playmaking skills in a New England uniform.

Henderson fielded the opening kickoff of Friday night's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium, and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. The rookie got some great blocking from New England's special teams unit, found a hole and raced into the end zone untouched to give New England an early 7-0 lead.

Not bad for the rookie's first touch in an NFL game, even if it came in a preseason tilt. It sparked a big night for the Patriots, who won their preseason opener to the tune of 48-18.

"Shoot, I was surprised myself," Henderson said of his return touchdown. "But I give all thanks to God. I can't do what I do without him. He is my strength when I go out there. And I give thanks to my teammates, the guys up front. They did a good job blocking things up front and clearing a path for me."

Henderson knew he had a chance when he hit the big hole the line opened for him, but saw he had to make one more would-be tackler miss.

"I thought the kicker was going to get me so I had to hit the gas. But that's when I knew, once I got by the kicker," said Henderson.

Henderson's big play to start the game got rave reviews from his teammates.

"Man, he's like a lightning bolt," quarterback Drake Maye said of Henderson after the game. "I saw the crease and knew he was gone. Pretty cool the first time you touch the football, it's a touchdown.

"I think special teams has a change to be big for us this year," added Maye.

Henderson also had some strong plays later in the first quarter, including and 18-yard run and a second-and-7 reception on a screen pass in the red zone where he trucked a defender to pick up nine yards.

Who is TreVeyon Henderson?

The Patriots drafted Henderson in the second round (38th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft after his incredible four-year career at Ohio State. He helped the Buckeyes win a national title in 2024, and ran for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns during his senior season despite sharing the backfield with Quinshon Judkins.

Over his four seasons at Ohio State, Henderson rushed for 3,761 yards and 42 touchdowns, and also finished with 853 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions over 47 games. But he never returned a kickoff for a touchdown at the college level.

He figures to be an important piece of the New England offense in 2025, giving Maye a pass-catching rusher out of the backfield. While it's important not to overreact to a single highlight in the preseason, it looks pretty clear Henderson is going to make plays for the New England Patriots in his rookie season. 

"This is something, since I was a little kid, that I've been dreaming about being in this position and being given this opportunity. I'm just thankful and trying to take advantage of every opportunity I get," said Henderson. "It's amazing to be here at an organization like the Patriots."

• National Football League
• New England Patriots