Cordarrelle Patterson continues to rack up the honors for his work as the Vikings kick return specialist, being named to the 2016 PFWA All-NFL & All-NFC teams.
The Minnesota Vikings had a lot of players make a huge impact during the 2016 season with several individuals having huge performances or establishing themselves as important pieces of the team. However, not all of them are getting a lot of recognition when it comes to accolades.
Kick return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson has been cleaning up on awards and honors lately, making the Pro Bowl and All Pro squads, the Pro Football Focus All Pro Team, and now he gets two more honors from the Pro Football Writers of America.
According to a release on the official PFWA website, Patterson has repeated a member of their All-NFC and All-NFL teams on special teams.
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Patterson led the NFL in return yards per kickoff at 31.68 and was one of only 7 players to score a kickoff return touchdown during the 2016 season. He also had the longest return for a touchdown, covering 104 yards in week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Overall, Patterson had 25 kick returns for 792 yards and one touchdown during 2016. His consistent contributions to special teams has allowed Minnesota to start with solid field position on offense, as Patterson averages 30.4 yards per return over his 4 season career and has brought 5 of his 134 attempts back for a touchdown.
Cordarrelle Patterson had his 5th year option declined on his contract, so he is scheduled to become a free agent for the 2017 season unless the Vikings lock him down with a deal before he hits the open market.
Next: What if the Vikings don't bring back Patterson & Thielen?
The only other member of the Minnesota Vikings earn an honor from the Pro Football Writers of America was Marcus Sherels, who represents the All-NFC team as a punt return specialist.