Cordarrelle Patterson wants to use Bears connection to pick Devin Hester’s brain

That he had just signed with the team where Devin Hester became the greatest returner in NFL history wasn’t lost on Cordarrelle Patterson, arguably the best returner in the NFL today.

Patterson has six kickoff return touchdowns in his six-year career with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots, two of which came against the Bears (2013 with Minnesota, 2018 with New England). Hester returned five kickoffs for touchdowns in his career, while totaling 14 punt returns scores and another off a missed field goal to give him a Hall of Fame-worthy 20 return touchdowns in his career.

So Patterson, now that he’s with the Bears, wants to get ahold of Hester and pick his brain about a few things.

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“It really is an honor and a blessing to be here,” Patterson said. “And just to learn from Devin — I'm actually just in the process of trying to get his phone number to learn a lot f tips and stuff that he did while he was here. Hopefully I can get his phone number and he can write me back and give me a little tips that, how to be as great as he was when he was here.”

In a Players Tribune article from 2017, Patterson said Hester is his “favorite” kick returner he’s ever studied: “He’s amazing, so smooth and so fast. I just love watching him,” Patterson wrote.

Patterson and Hester have shared a field before — and Hester probably took note of the then-rookie in 2013. Patterson returned the opening kick of a Week 2 Bears-Vikings game 105 yards for a touchdown, the first return score of his career. But just getting to be on the same field as Hester was important for Patterson then — and now, perhaps, he’ll get to have a few conversations with someone he said is one of the “gods” of the NFL.

“I’ve been returning kicks for my whole life, you know, and getting to see him in person it was just, it was like a dream come true,” Pattersonsaid. “People don't really get to experience that on a regular (basis) and, and a guy like me, a return specialist looking up to Devin Hester and to play against him and seeing him in action, it was just amazing.”