With Vrabel and Dews making conscious, compassionate efforts, Stevenson found support in the Patriots organization and leaned on teammates during an incredibly challenging season. One freshman, linebacker Jahlani Tavai, made sure he didn’t let Stevenson sink into the darkness. Almost a year later, Stevenson is quick to name Tavai as one of the most important sources of support during his grieving process.
“They were so supportive and they’re so instrumental in where I am today and how I handle myself and carry myself in these situations,” Stevenson said Wednesday. “I’ll give it to Tavai, Jahlani Tavai. He was there for me a lot, just watching me almost every day, man, just walking through the locker room, just making sure I was good, making sure my head was right. I appreciate him for that and I love him for that.”
For Tavai, he knew it was the right thing to do.
“When I saw the news, I just wanted to check on him,” Tavai said Wednesday, taking long pauses as his emotions surfaced. “Not sure if anyone has, but these times, when you lose someone, you’re put in a dark place. Sometimes you just need a helping hand, so any way I could help, I just wanted to lend a helping hand.”
Tavai instinctively acted as a good teammate, but he had his own experiences that told him Stevenson might need more attention. Tavai lost a younger teammate from his days at Hawai’i, Scheyenne Sanitoa, and knew how the weight of such a tragic loss can bury a young player.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Tavai said, reflecting on the summer of his freshman year. “During this time, I had a lot of family and friends hitting on me and checking on me. Those little things helped a lot.”
When Stevenson struggled with ball security early in the season and felt pressure from second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson behind him on the depth chart, he could have fallen. These Patriots weren’t going to let that happen, though. They had already surrounded him with love and support just as they were coming together as the team that would eventually become AFC champions, a reality they may not have achieved but for Stevenson’s second-half turnaround.