Last month, the NFL approved a controversial rule change that will allow teams to call a fair catch on kickoffs and take the ball at the 25-yard line as an automatic touchback. It could be a major change, but one legendary kick returner doesn’t think it will impact him too much.
Atlanta Falcons kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson is tied for the most kickoff return touchdowns in NFL history with nine throughout his career, and he expects to continue to be aggressive despite the rules changes.
“I ain’t paid too much attention to it because, honestly, I don’t feel like it affects too much of what we’ve got on around here because we’re going to be aggressive,” Patterson told USA Today. “That’s what coach wants, that’s what he’s going to get from us. We’re going to fly around.”
However, Patterson does expect some teams to try to take advantage of the rule to keep him from returning it.
“Honestly, it depends on the situation,” he said. “It they are sky-kicking the ball real high to the 10-yard line and the guy is 5 yards [away from] me, why would I not fair-catch it? We’d get it at the 25. It’s just being smart. We’re going to be aggressive, but we still have to be smart.”
