Riley Patterson

Riley Patterson, an American football kicker hailing from Edwardsville, Illinois, was born on the 7th of September, 1999. Although primarily recognized for his early professional career, his roots in football stretch back to his teenage years. Patterson sharpened his talents at his high school in Edwardsville, where he developed an appreciation for the game and honed his skills.

From his humble beginnings, Patterson enrolled in college to play football for the Memphis Tigers, where he played an impressive 41 games and accumulated a total score of 351 points. This college experience helped shape Patterson into a formidable player, earning him the opportunity to show his mettle at the 2021 Senior Bowl. In this notable game, Patterson was successful in making two field goal attempts.

His unwavering focus and raw talent did not go unnoticed; on May 5, 2021, Patterson signed as an undrafted free agent with the noted professional team, the Minnesota Vikings. Although a setback, including an injury that led to him being placed on injured reserve in August 2021, forced him to face his release from the Vikings, he persevered.

Having recalibrated his career path, Patterson joined the New England Patriots as part of their practice squad on the 19th of October, 2021. Barely a month later, the Detroit Lions signed him, marking the start of a new chapter in his professional career.

Patterson’s NFL debut came against the Chicago Bears, during which he scored two extra points. His first field goal was scored against the Minnesota Vikings on December 5, 2021. Week 15 saw Patterson exhibiting exceptional performance; he converted all three field goals and extra points, resulting in a 30-12 victory against the Arizona Cardinals. This outstanding performance led to Patterson being awarded the National Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.

However, Patterson’s tenure with the Lions came to an abrupt halt when he was waived on August 30, 2022. Undeterred by the adversity, Patterson was claimed off waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars the very next day. In Week 16, he scored a commendable 13 points, leading to a 19-3 win against the New York Jets. Patterson helped cement a remarkable 31-30 comeback victory over the Chargers in the Wild Card Round, creating the third-largest comeback in playoff history.

Following the signing of Brandon McManus, Patterson was waived by the Jaguars on May 25th, 2023, but was swiftly traded back to the Lions after his release. He was eventually traded to the Lions for an undisclosed draft pick. Despite some stellar performances, Patterson faced disappointment when he was inactive due to missing two extra points in three games and subsequently replaced by Michael Badgley before being waived by the Lions on December 19, 2023.

Patterson however landed a spot on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad owing to an injury to their starting kicker. He became a free agent at the end of the season as he wasn’t signed to a reserve/future contract by the team. Patterson returned to the Jaguars by signing a reserve/future contract with the team on February 6, 2024. His tenure was short-lived as he was released during training camp.

Eventually, Patterson was claimed off waivers by the Washington Commanders on July 31, 2024, only to be released again less than a month later. Despite his transient professional career, Patterson leads a tranquil personal life as a devout Christian. He is happily married to his wife Claire, and is proud to share blood with his second cousin, A. J. Epenesa, another noted NFL player. Patterson’s lifetime association with football includes a connection with Kate Martin, a WNBA player whose father used to be Patterson’s football coach in high school.