Former Vikings receiver named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month

Former Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Cordarrelle Patterson has been recognized as the top special teams player in the NFC for his play during the month of November.

Following his rookie season with the team in 2013, the Minnesota Vikings had high hopes for a young receiver by the name of Cordarrelle Patterson. As a rookie, Patterson excelled as a receiver, a rusher, and a returner out on the field for the Vikings.

During his first season with Minnesota, Patterson scored a total of nine touchdowns and he led the NFL with a kick return average of 32.4 yards. Mostly due to his impressive performance as a returner, the young Vikings receiver was rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl in his very first year with the Vikings.

Unfortunately, the rest of Patterson’s tenure in Minnesota didn’t turn out as well as his rookie campaign.

After the Vikings decided to let him hit free agency in 2017, he’s played for three different teams in the last three seasons. Patterson first landed with the Oakland Raiders, who then traded him to the New England Patriots in 2018, and then he opted to sign with the Chicago Bears this past offseason.

This year, the former Minnesota first-round draft pick has gotten back to his roots as an elite return man in the league. Patterson is averaging 30.9 yards per kick return for the Bears this season and on Thursday, he was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for his work in November.

During five games last month, the former Vikings receiver averaged 29.4 yards per kickoff return and he also notched a total of three tackles on special teams.

This is the second time Patterson has earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors in his career with the first coming when he was with Minnesota in September of 2013.

There’s a chance that he could hit free agency once again during the upcoming offseason as it would only cost Chicago $1 million to get out of his current contract before it ends in 2021. Maybe a potential return to the Vikings could be in the cards?