After spending three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, running back Cordarrelle Patterson was not re-signed by the team during the 2024 offseason. Instead, Patterson followed former Falcons head coach and current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to Pittsburgh.
The 33-year-old is a bit of an anomaly for an NFL running back. His best years came after he turned 30, topping 1,000 all-purpose yards for the first time in his career during the 2021 season in Atlanta. So how’s Patterson doing in Pittsburgh?
The “Joker” broke a 31-yard touchdown run the first quarter of the Steelers’ preseason matchup against the Detroit Lions on Saturday afternoon. Watch below, as shared by the NFL’s Twitter account:
.@ceeflashpee84 runs it in for 6
: #PITvsDET on @NFLNetwork
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/pngBQS5Fbz
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
Patterson and Smith will return to Atlanta in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. The Falcons replaced Smith with head coach Raheem Morris and upgraded their roster on offense and defense. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson replaced Smith as the team’s play-caller. Atlanta and Pittsburgh will face off on September 8.
The Falcons wrapped up their preseason with a 31-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday evening. The team has three days to trim its roster down to 53 players before Tuesday’s deadline. Make sure to check out our final Falcons 53-man roster projection ahead of NFL cut day.