The Pittsburgh Steelers are making a quick move in reaction to the NFL’s new kickoff policy. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers are signing RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson to a two-year deal, reuniting him with former head coach Arthur Smith, now the team’s offensive coordinator.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, it’s a two-year deal worth $6 million.
With the NFL’s modified kickoff rule, the expectation is there will be more returns. Gone is the fair-catch option that helped reduce the number of kick returns by 42 percent in 2023 compared to 2022. Teams will need options in the return game and Patterson has as strong a resume as you’ll find.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that Patterson’s agent has been in Orlando this week waiting for the kickoff change to become official, the 11th-year veteran signing hours after the change had been passed. The new formations will pit coverage and return teams just five yards apart with greater penalty for touchbacks that land directly into the end zone, now coming out to the 30-yard line, an attempt to combine more returns with fewer injuries.
One of the NFL’s greatest kick returners, he has 273 career runbacks, averaging 29.3 yards. That ranks third in NFL history only trailing Gale Sayers and former Steeler Lynn Chandnois. Patterson also holds the NFL record with nine career kick return touchdowns. Patterson’s best season came as a rookie in 2013, averaging 32.4 yards per return with two touchdowns. He’s led the NFL in kick return average in three of his 11 seasons and has a kick return touchdown in seven of them.
Here’s his record-setting ninth kick return touchdown coming against the Bears in 2022. Funny enough, the camera pans to new Steelers QB Justin Fields, then still a member with Chicago.
His numbers were down in 2023 though opportunities were limited. He had just seven returns and averaged 21.9 yards. Age is a concern, Patterson turning 33 earlier this month, but he’s a solid option to give Pittsburgh a defined returner in a year where it will matter.
Mike Tomlin praised Patterson ahead of the Steelers’ 2022 matchup against the Falcons, noting how dynamic of a return man he is.
Though Pittsburgh is solid at the top of its running back depth chart with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, Patterson isn’t just a special teamer. In 2022, he carried the ball 144 times for 695 yards, a healthy 4.8-yard average, with eight rushing scores. His role was reduced in 2023 with the addition of first-round pick Bijan Robinson, leaving Patterson with only 50 carries for 181 yards and zero touchdowns. Patterson’s also made plays in the passing game with 298 career receptions.
While contract details aren’t yet known, Dave Bryan outlines a plausible scenario for how the deal could be structured. Pittsburgh signed special teams ace Miles Killebrew to a two-year, $6 million deal earlier in free agency.
