New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is in the spotlight again. Not only has the second-year running back returned to practice and is seemingly trending toward making his season debut on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he also is facing backlash over a post he made on social media.
If that second part sounds familiar, it’s because this is not the first time this happened.
The latest issue involves Henderson commenting on a story posted by Fox News, which misrepresents the case
of a then-15-year-old who was separated from her parents after charges of physical abuse were filed against the father. Court records show that the man was accused of punching and threatening the child, and that a restraining order was filed against both him and the mother.
The parents, on the other hand, claim that the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families is aiding the teenager’s gender transition against their will. Fox News picked up the story, giving it national attention and prompting Henderson to comment on it — a comment that has drawn over three million views.
On Thursday, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald asked the Patriots running back about his tweet and whether he was aware of the full facts surrounding the story. The exchange, as posted by Callahan on Twitter/X, reads like this:
Q: “When you posted this [tweet], were you aware that the father in this particular case had been charged, charges he denies, with abusing the child?”
Henderson: “What abuse?”
Q: “Physical abuse. He was charged two years ago, so the parents have — he’s been separated from the daughter and told to stay away. And so in that particular case, that’s why they’ve been apart for almost [two] years.”
Henderson: “I think the biggest thing what I saw on my end is, I saw the the state take away someone’s child because they didn’t want to affirm their daughter as a boy, and I heard that the school, without the parents’ permission, tried to transition a child or do some sort of thing to transition her into a boy, and I don’t believe that’s right. I believe the family being a Catholic family and having certain morals that they go by and live by. I think it’s they have the God-given right to raise up their kid to know the Lord, to honor the Lord. But of course, we all have free will, as well. But with that kid being under their parents’ authorities, like we’re called, I’m called to honor my parents and respect my parents as long as it aligns with God. And I think what they were doing, trying to raise up their kid the right way, from from what I from what I’ve read and heard, I think I think that the family did right by not affirming their daughter as a boy, but choosing to affirm her the way that God created her to be as a girl.”
Q: “So [the charges] weren’t included in that clip, and that’s why I asked if you were aware that they had been separated because of the accusations filed [in January 2025] that had been brought by the daughter, and that’s what caused her to be removed. Because (the family) can reconvene in December, if the father continues to stay away from her, and that [started] this entire incident. Were you aware of that?”
Henderson: “I think — so, I’m still doing research. I’ve heard that charges were filed. But at the end of the day, they were filed. It doesn’t mean that he was guilty of those charges. It’s just accusations, just as the same way people make accusations against me. It doesn’t mean that those accusations are true. It’s just accusations at the end of the day. And so, yeah, I think you’re innocent until you’re proven guilty. So if he was guilty, then that’s on me, because I didn’t know all of that. But if he’s not guilty, if these are just accusations, that they’re making about the father, then I don’t think I don’t think that’s right to run away with that and say the father did this, so we have to take his daughter away. I still don’t think that’s right.”
Henderson, a devout Christian who is not afraid of sharing his beliefs, was criticized by the online community both for his original comment and his conversation with Callahan. It is not his first rodeo after a similar situation occurred during the offseason.
In March, the xx-year-old seemingly expressed support for NBA player Jaden Ivey after he was released by the Chicago Bulls following apparent anti-LGBTQ+ remarks. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was later prompted to confront Henderson and address the matter both privately and publicly.
“I want them to be able to express what they believe in their heart and in their mind, but also want to make sure that they’re educated,” Vrabel said at the time. “And we want to be inclusive. Everything we want to do, wants to provide an environment for people to one, feel comfortable, but also to share their personal beliefs. And then also, we represent the team and we represent the organization.”
“We’ve had a great conversation,” Henderson later told the media. “He was very respectful about my beliefs. He expressed that aloud to this team, and so I really appreciate Coach for that.”
The Patriots will host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. Henderson, who missed the season opener with an ankle injury, made his return to practice earlier this week and has been listed as a full participant on both Wednesday and Thursday.
