Cordarrelle Patterson wants to stay in Atlanta but is open to a return to Chicago as well. Patterson plans to keep getting better with age.
“You drink wine,” Coradarrelle Patterson asked?
Yes, I do I told Patterson. I was asking the kick returner/receiver/running back how he explains that he seemingly is getting better with age.
“You know you’ve got to let the wine sit for a couple years right?
Check.
“Fine wine, right here man. That’s all it is. Just let me get some oxygen,” Patterson joked.
Patterson is not actually a wine connoisseur preferring tequila. but therein lies his self-explanation for how he had his best year yet last season with Atlanta. Patterson had career highs in rushing yards, receiving yards, rushing touchdowns, receiving touchdowns. He was featured all over the field on offense and used less on special teams.
“I’m a football player now, I’m positionless,” Patterson emphasized. “You turn the film on man, you see what I do.”
When you turn on the film of Patterson you are quickly reminded he led the NFL in kickoff return yards in back-to-back seasons with Chicago before coming to Atlanta as a free agent. Patterson is tied for the most kickoff return touchdowns in NFL history with eight — more than another former Bear Hall of Fame candidate, Devin Hester.
Credit Academy Sports + Outdoors
Cordarrelle Henderson advocates for Devin Hester to be in Hall of Fame
Patterson has more kickoff return yards, touchdowns and more yards per return than Hester somewhat surprisingly. Hester is the NFL leader in punt return touchdowns. Pretty good company.
“You google his name everything comes up,” Patterson said. “Watching that guy man, he is a Hall of Famer if you ask me.
Time will tell for Hester as it will for Patterson on where he ends up playing next season. Patterson has stated over and over again he wants to stay in Atlanta but is not losing sleep on wherever he plays football in 2022.
“It’s free agency, it’s fun. You see my tweets. I have fun with it on and off the field.”
Who isn’t following @ceeflashpee84 these days with content flowing like this?
How I’m pulling up on the first day off free agency!!! pic.twitter.com/Ahans6mdak
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) February 14, 2022
Waiting for free agency like!!! pic.twitter.com/17UjbKs068
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) February 9, 2022
Wherever Patterson ends up he expects to be used in a variety of ways.
“You can’t get the most out of me when you just put me at one place so you gotta line me up all around the field,” Patterson said. “I mean honestly, to toot my own horn now, I’ve been doing this since I was little being everywhere on the football field.”
Could that even be back in Chicago who barely used Patterson as a receiver for two years?
“I’m going to answer the phone and see what they are talking about,” Patterson said. “They (Atlanta) got Ryan Pace over here now so they might be calling me first before Chicago calls.”
Whoever calls might be wise to let the conversation breathe.
Cordarrelle Patterson has partnered with Academy Sports + Outdoors. He was a headliner at their Celebrity Fishing Tournament.