The Bears turned a fumble by Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson into a touchdown during the second quarter of Sunday’s game, but Patterson was able to bounce back and help his team on the way to a win.
Patterson took the ensuing kickoff for a 103-yard touchdown that cut Chicago’s lead to three points and made Patterson the NFL’s all-time leader in kickoff return touchdowns. Patterson has now gone the distance nine times in his career and he told reporters after the 27-24 win that he hopes to add to that total before he hangs up his cleats and helmet once and for all.
“I’m not finished yet,” Patterson said, via Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’ve got a lot of football left. I’m just trying to take that record and go crazy with it.”
Changes to the kickoff over the course of Patterson’s career have limited the number of returns of any length and they’ve made touchdowns a rare event around the league. That should leave Patterson in control of the record for a long time whether he adds to his total or not, but the league’s excitement factor would certainly appreciate a few more big plays from the Falcons veteran.
