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The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled mightily on offense in a 28-14 loss to Balitmore in the wildcard round of the NFL Playoffs. Despite the lack of production, one key player remained on the sidelines throughout the duration of the contest.
Cordarrelle Patterson failed to record an offensive statistic in the setback. He returned one kickoff for a 26-yard gain. The absence was head-scratching, especially to him.
Patterson has been a Swiss Army knife this season with the Steelers, lining up out wide, in the backfield, and on special teams. This year, he totaled 135 yards rushing and 80 yards receiving while leading the team in return yardage.
The 12th-year veteran owns the record for most kickoff return touchdowns in NFL history. He also has the longest in league history at 109 yards. He can be explosive with the ball in his hands!
That wasn’t the case on Saturday. Patterson didn’t get the chance.
Pittsburgh recorded less than 300 yards of offense in the 14-point playoff loss. The offense ran just 11 times for 29 yards. Only one receiver totaled more than 50 yards.
Cordarrelle Patterson watched the unit fail to move the football from the sidelines all night. He was never targeted in the passing game. He didn’t get a single offensive touch.
After the game, with the Steelers eliminated, the wideout took a shot at his coaching staff with a post on social media.
Cordarrelle Patterson on Instagram
“Guess I’ll shovel snow since I can’t touch the field,” he wrote in a message on his Instagram story. His low usage was apparently unexpected. Questions about his future with the franchise immediately surfaced.
Will Cordarrelle Patterson play for the Steelers in 2025?
The versatile talent just completed his first season in Pittsburgh. He has one year remaining on his contract. Should he be unhappy with his role in the offense, it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibilities to see a split.
With that being said, he does plan on playing again next year, no matter where his NFL future takes him.
Cordarrelle Patterson on Instagram
Patterson dismissed the idea of retirement even if his snap count declined in Pittsburgh. He’ll fully intends to be back for the 2025 campaign.
Where he spends his next season is still to be determined. It will be interesting to see if his unhappiness with the Steelers lingers into the offseason.