There’s something beautifully simple about the way Cordarrelle Patterson approaches special teams, and watching him demolish punt returners and rip through coverage units might be the most fun thing about the Bears this season.
Actually, talking to him is the most fun.
Patterson’s media availability is rare, but always a hit. In training camp, he said his nickname should be, “Damn!” because that’s what you’ll say whenever you see him make a play. He’s lived up to that.
He’s done more damage on special teams than in the offense, but makes no distinction between the two. As long as he gets on the field, he’s happy. And that’s somewhat unusual for a player of his status: a first-round pick and Super Bowl champion in his seventh season.
“There’s a lot of players, probably, that look past special teams,” Patterson said. “A lot of people got a lot of pride, and because it’s special teams, they don’t think they can make a lot of money.
“But there’s a lot of guys, we would die for special teams. Some guys, that’s all they do is play special teams. That’s their only job, so they go out there and play their heart out.”
Sometimes his mouth runs faster than his mind. He doubled back for a moment as he caught up to what he’d just said.
“Not necessarily really die for it, but they’ll go out and do everything they can for special teams,” he smirked. “I had to get that right, because I’m not dying for football. Sorry. I love it to death, but I’m not dying for it.”
He’s the most entertaining man on this team.
Patterson claims he could kick or play tight end, among other positions, and quite frankly, he could be capable of helping the Bears at either spot Thursday at Detroit.
Bears coach Matt Nagy coveted him as a gadget player, but other than a 46-yard run against the Broncos in which Patterson topped out at 22.23 miles per hour — astounding for someone who is 6-foot-2, 238 pounds — he hasn’t gotten much traction in the offense.
But when Nagy uses him as a diversion, which he did often against the Giants, Patterson had no problem.
“I mean, if it’s gonna help my team being a decoy, I’ll go out there and be a decoy every goddamn snap,” he said, sounding more enthusiastic than any decoy in history.
He has a tradition of playing catch with fans before games, and often throws into the second level. He let one fly before the Giants game, and the fan turned around mid-throw and got hit in the back of the head.
Patterson scorched him with a one-liner.
“His awareness was — It’s probably that same guy who brought that pie in the game,” he quipped, referencing a viral video of a Bears fan preparing a full-on pumpkin pie during the game.
And then there’s the Pro Bowl, which he legitimately has a chance to make this season.
He earned a spot as a special teamer in 2013 and ’16 with the Vikings, and he’s a strong candidate with the combination of his coverage prowess and an NFC-best 29.6 yards per kick return.
He had a 102-yard touchdown against the Saints in which a defensive back met him at midfield and Patterson simply ran through the tackle without breaking stride, declaring later, “Look how big I am. You think I feel that?”
He made three incredible plays in punt coverage against the Giants that were as important as anything he could’ve done offensively.
He fought off a double-team that ran him out of bounds to save a touchdown by bringing down Jabrill Peppers, he got downfield fast enough to catch a Patrick O’Donnell punt at the 3-yard line and dove to smack a ball away from the end zone at the last second so Deon Bush could down and stick the Giants on their own 6 to begin their final possession.
Many players are indifferent toward the Pro Bowl and some even view it as a hassle, but not Patterson. As with special teams, he takes nothing for granted.
“My family loves it, man,” he said. “They done been to Orlando once and they care about it a lot, but a guy like me, I just want to go out there and win.
“If it comes, it comes. That’s a [popularity] thing. If you’re liked, you’ll make it to the Pro Bowl. That’s just how it goes, man. If I get liked enough, I’ll be there.”
And he’ll bring the whole family.
“They want all that free stuff, man,” he said, laughing. “We all love that free stuff. Come on now. You can’t take that away from us.”
