On Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran running back Cordarrelle Patterson from their 90-man training camp roster. Patterson broke the news of his release on his social media account, saying he had been fired on his day off.
The former Falcons fan favorite spent three seasons in Atlanta before following former head coach Arthur Smith to Pittsburgh last offseason. Patterson, arguably the greatest kick returner in NFL history, had a late-career resurgence under Smith, who took over as the Steelers offensive coordinator in 2024.
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Last season in Pittsburgh, Robinson rushed for 135 yards on 32 carries (4.2 yards per attempt), and added 12 catches for 80 receiving yards (6.7 yards per reception) and one touchdown.
The four-time All-Pro return specialist was mostly an afterthought on offense during his first eight seasons. That was until taking over as the Falcons’ lead running back in 2021. Patterson racked up 1,166 all-purpose yards and 11 total touchdowns that season.
The Falcons fired Smith after the 2023 season and did not re-sign Patterson. The team couldn’t find much of a role for Patterson after drafting Bijan Robinson with the eighth overall pick, so it was no surprise to see him sign elsewhere.
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Following Patterson’s release, some Falcons fans called for the veteran to sign in Atlanta.
Falcons fans call for Patterson to return to Atlanta
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Cordarrelle Patterson released by Steelers