AP Photo/Adrian Kraus
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not reach out to running back, wide receiver and returner Cordarrelle Patterson about signing with them this offseason, per ESPN’s Jenna Laine:
Patterson agreed to re-sign with the Atlanta Falcons on a two-year deal, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution‘s D. Orlando Ledbetter.
As noted by Falcons multimedia features reporter Kris Rhim, Patterson made it clear he wanted to return to Atlanta.
“Patterson has been campaigning relentlessly for the Falcons to re-sign,” Rhim wrote.
“He has done everything from taking pictures with fans signs about resigning him to custom cleats telling Falcons owner Arthur Blank to ‘cut the check.'”
He’ll be back in Atlanta now, which probably isn’t a welcome sight for a Bucs team that saw Patterson rack up 165 total yards and two touchdowns against them this year.
Patterson, who just finished his ninth NFL season, notched career-highs with 1,116 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns last year. It was a great return on investment for the Falcons, who signed Patterson to a one-year, $3 million contract.
The jack-of-all-trades did damage everywhere, rushing 153 times for 618 yards and six scores and adding 52 catches for 548 yards and five more touchdowns. He also returned 18 kicks for 434 yards.
Patterson has jumped around the NFL since the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2013 draft. After four years in Minnesota, Patterson spent 2017 with the Oakland Raiders before winning a Super Bowl with the 2018 New England Patriots. He then played two years with the Chicago Bears before moving on to Atlanta.
Patterson was unquestionably the Falcons’ offensive MVP, notably notching 100-yard rushing and receiving games. He was at his best in a 21-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he rushed 16 times for 108 yards and two scores.
Patterson also happens to be a human highlight reel:
It’s rare for an NFL player to break out in his 30s, but Patterson did just that, as the 30-year-old enjoyed his best season in year number nine.
The hope for the Falcons is that Patterson can continue being one of the NFL’s most versatile and explosive offensive weapons even as he enters his 10th NFL season. If so, Atlanta will certainly benefit from his game-breaking abilities.
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