With the new kickoff rules this year games, special teams will be very different. New strategies will be used and there will likely be much more excitement on kickoffs as we all really don’t know what to expect. Some people love it and some people hate it, but one person who feels both the love and hate is new Steelers returner Cordarrelle Patterson has mixed feelings.
Patterson has nine career kick returns for touchdowns, but this year will present a different beast with the new rules. For those who are unfamiliar with the changes, Ross McCorkle explains the new kick-off rules here.
One of the reasons that Patterson may love and hate the new kickoff rules is special teams coordinator Danny Smith. Steelers beat reporter Brian Batko explained why Patterson is having mixed emotions and how in OTA’s and minicamp Smith was making it tough for him.
“Probably because Danny Smith and Company are making it tough on him in practice, busting out all sorts of different kicks: sharp line drives, squibbers,” said Batko on the North Shore Drive podcast. “And Patterson, maybe he’s the Danny Glover, like, ‘I’m getting too old for this.'”
Despite Patterson’s age and new rules he still has the potential to be a great kick returner. Given football is three phases, special teams is crucial and having a player like Patterson could be the difference in wins and loses.
Last season Patterson only returned seven kicks, but he was still the Atlanta Falcons’ primary kick returner as due to the threat of Patterson, and the rules, there just were not many kick returns. When Patterson did return kicks he was still good at 32 years old, averaging 21.9 yards per return. Given his history with nine returns for touchdowns throughout his career and him still looking effective even last year, it made sense why the Steelers signed him in free agency.
“Clearly that’s why the Steeler signed him,” said Batko speaking on Patterson’s kickoff return credentials. “And clearly he has no choice but to adjust. If he can’t, then they’ll find somebody else who is able to do it.”
Patterson will likely be just fine and there is potential of him to have his best season yet. But, we will have to wait to see what everything looks like. If he cannot adjust there should be no doubt that Smith and head coach Mike Tomlin will pull the plug and go in a new direction. For now though, we have to wait until training camp and preseason to see how Patterson looks and what these new kickoffs look like in general.
