5. Cordarrelle Patterson
Wide Receiver/Returner (2013-present)
Teams played for:
- Minnesota Vikings (2013-2016)
- Oakland Raiders (2017)
- New England Patriots (2018)
- Chicago Bears (2019)
Accolades:
- Three-time first-team All-Pro (2013, 2016, 2019)
- Two-time second-team All-Pro (2015, 2018)
- Three Pro Bowls (2013, 2016, 2019)
- Super Bowl Championship (2018)
It’s kind of shocking how big of a deal Cordarrelle Patterson has been in the pros. He spent one year with Tennessee football, as a junior college transfer in 2012, Derek Dooley’s final year on the job. That season, Patterson helped turn the Vols into a historically great offense, and beyond Tyler Bray, Justin Hunter and Mychal Rivera, he was the catalyst for that.
Because of that incredible season, Patterson was a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, and he immediately made himself a star. As a rookie, he made the Pro Bowl and earned All-Pro honors, returning two kickofss for a touchdown. He then earned All-Pro again in 2015 and 2016 with three kickoff returns for touchdowns during those two years.
After a one-year stint with the Oakland Raiders in 2017, Patterson thrived with the New England Patriots, returning another kickoff for a touchdown and winning a Super Bowl championship. Then he joined the Chicago Bears in 2019, following in Devin Hester’s shoes, and he returned another kickoff for a touchdown while earning All-Pro honors again.
So if you’re keeping score at home, Patterson has seven kickoff returns for a touchdown in seven years this decade, and he has also proven himself to be a solid receiver with an average of 391 total yards from scrimmage per year and another 17 touchdowns on that front.