The Pittsburgh Steelers have added another weapon to their offseason arsenal. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has announced on X that the Steelers have brought in return specialist and running back Cordarrelle Patterson on a two-year, $6 million deal.
Patterson spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, where he worked under head coach Arthur Smith. Smith has now joined the Steelers as their offensive coordinator and was likely instrumental in the team signing Patterson.
Despite having a down year in 2023, Patterson still managed 21.9 yards per return for kickoffs and punts in 2023. He has been one of the best returners in the NFL since his entrance in the NFL in 2013.
What makes this signing far more significant for the Steelers is that the NFL just approved the new kickoff rule. The hybrid rule will combine the current NFL and past XFL kickoff return systems, which will alter the strategy that teams use for kickoffs.
One of the most significant changes is that any time a ball lands between the goal line and the 20-yard line, it must be returned. Ten players on the kicking team can line up on the opposing 40-yard line to chase down the ball carrier. Conversely, the receiving team can have up to nine players on the 30-to-35-yard marker to stop the kicking team.
Patterson is quick on his feet, so the strategy will likely be to get him the ball and allow the receiving team’s players to block out the kicking teams, resulting in huge yards gained.
The idea for the new kickoff rule is to ensure that players are not running across the field and slamming into one another. Instead, the field for defenders has been shortened by a great deal to increase player safety.
The kickoff game for teams will have to change dramatically, and the Steelers might have seen the writing on the wall when opting to sign a dynamic returner, which should enhance their chances of having a good field position.
There will be a lot of trial and error in terms of how teams line up their players, but it might be difficult to chase down one of the best kickoff returners in the league. Steelers general manager Omar Khan is very particular about the players he has signed, and Patterson could be one of the most significant players added in free agency with the new ruleset in place.
Patterson’s deal also does not break the bank, while adding a proven veteran to the Steelers’ running backs room.
Two more NFL games will be distributed exclusively via a streaming service in the 2024 season. The league announced Tuesday that Peacock will have the rights to stream the Week 1 game from Sao Paulo, Brazil, which will be the first NFL contest in South America. The Philadelphia Eagles already are booked for that game against an opponent still to be announced. Amazon Prime Video has been granted an NFL wild-card game, which will represent the second time a playoff game has been streamed exclusively. Last season, Peacock streamed the Kansas City Chiefs’ 26-7 AFC wild-card win over the Miami Dolphins, memorable as the fourth-coldest game in league history. Amazon Prime already has the rights to the league’s Thursday night package. “As media consumption habits evolve, the NFL continues to work with our partners to put our games on digital platforms where our fans are increasingly spending their time,” Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, said in a news release. “The viewership success of both Thursday Night Football on Prime Video and the historic Wild Card game on Peacock last season are strong indicators our streaming distribution is resonating with our fans.” Both the Week 1 Brazil game on Peacock and the wild-card game on Prime Video will be available for free on broadcast television in the local markets of the competing teams as well as on the NFL+ mobile app. The wild-card game between the Chiefs and Dolphins on Peacock averaged approximately 23 million viewers, which the NFL said set a record for the most-streamed live event in U.S. history. –Field Level Media
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