The New England Patriots had the ball with just under two minutes remaining with a 21-16 lead. So the clear plan was to run the clock down to secure a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But, something very different ultimately happened.
With 1:43 remaining in the fourth quarter, Drake Maye pitched the ball to TreVeyon Henderson, with defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga serving as fullback once again. The rookie followed him and was able to break free, using his insane speed to get past the Buccaneers’ defense.
Usually, a running back wouldn’t think twice about taking it all the way to the end zone. But, with little time left on the clock and the win in sight, Henderson second-guessed whether that was the right decision.
So, he took a little detour, running a little closer to the sidelines to take a look at the coaches.
“I checked with the coaches, because I went through a situation last year at Ohio State like that,” Henderson said after the win (per MassLive). “I slid down. I forgot it was like a minute and change on the clock.”
Asking the sideline if it’s OK to score in the middle of a 69-yard touchdown run…what a time
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) November 9, 2025
“In this situation, I was kind of confused. But I tried to make sure I checked with the coaches real quick to see what they wanted me to do,” the running back added. “But I knew I had guys running behind me, so I had to make a decision in like two seconds. It ended up happening. It ended up getting in the end zone. At the end of the day, we came out with the win.”
The touchdown run ultimately gave the Patriots a 12-point lead, and while Baker Mayfield was able to get Tampa Bay an additional seven points, the onside kick was unsuccessful. From there, New England was in victory formation.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: TreVeyon Henderson details why he looked at sidelines on second TD run
