Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson is an American football running back, receiver and kick returner born March 17, 1991, in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches, he built an NFL career around unusual positional versatility, combining a powerful running style with open-field acceleration and elite return ability. His vision, patience and ability to set up blocks made him especially dangerous on kickoffs.

Patterson played two seasons at Hutchinson Community College before joining Tennessee for the 2012 season. He contributed as a receiver, runner and returner for the Volunteers, earning first-team All-SEC recognition as an all-purpose player. The Minnesota Vikings selected him in the first round with the 29th overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.

His NFL stops included Minnesota, Oakland, New England, Chicago, Atlanta and Pittsburgh. Patterson won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots and developed into one of his era’s most decorated return specialists, receiving four first-team All-Pro selections, four Pro Bowl selections and a place on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s. He also established the NFL career record for kickoff-return touchdowns.

Pittsburgh signed Patterson to a two-year contract on April 1, 2024, but terminated that contract on July 29, 2025. No later NFL signing was verified as of September 13, 2026, so his most recent confirmed team affiliation is with the Steelers rather than a current roster.