The Pittsburgh Steelers made sure to shore up their offense and defense this offseason, and they did not neglect special teams. Return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson was added almost as soon as the kick return rule was changed, showing how committed the Steelers are to taking advantage of that facet of the game. It seems Mike Tomlin is intent on squeezing out all the talent left in Patterson.
Talking to Patterson on the sideline during the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions Saturday, Missi Matthews said she overhead Tomlin talking about Patterson.
“When you came off the field, I heard Coach Tomlin say something about, ‘We’re gonna get all that football out of you that you have left.’ What does that mean?” Matthews asked Patterson.
“I guess because I’m an older guy, going on Year 12,” Patterson said. “Whatever I got left in the tank, he knows I’m gonna give it all to him.”
Patterson is a veteran, but he’s still been effective in recent years. Last year was a down year for him, but with these new kickoff rules, he could be in line for a resurgence. He did have a nice run on offense against the Lions that went for a touchdown in the Steelers’ 24-17 loss, so it’s clear he’s still got some breakaway speed.
Tomlin knows that Patterson, 33, probably doesn’t have much football left, but there’s hope he can be a spark for the Steelers on special teams. With this being the first year for the new kickoff rules, it’s likely that many teams will go through some growing pains with it. Patterson can help the Steelers take advantage of those issues.
Patterson seems prepared to give this season his all. He was successful as a running back when he played for Arthur Smith’s Atlanta Falcons, so maybe he can even make a few plays on offense for the Steelers this year. Based on Tomlin’s comments, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Steelers use Patterson in a multitude of ways.
With Week 1 fast approaching, it won’t be long before fans can see Patterson’s abilities on special teams. He might be closer to the end of his career than his prime, but he believes he still has some gas left in the tank. Hopefully it doesn’t run out before the season ends.
