Cordarrelle Patterson will not be suiting up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 NFL season. He was informed of his release on Monday ahead of the start of the fully padded portion of fall training camp.
The veteran wideout posted a comical update on his situation after the fact. He put the Steelers on blast for their shameless timing on the announcement.
Patterson is entering his 13th year at the NFL level after a star-studded career at the University of Tennessee. An electric player with the ball in his hands, he’s been used as a return man, a receiver, and a rushing threat.
Cordarrelle Patterson was absolutely electric at Tennessee @Vol_Football | @ceeflashpee84 pic.twitter.com/kDeWLWPBIG
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 28, 2025
Through 12 pro campaigns, he’s racked up 48 touchdowns. He is the league’s all-time leader with nine kick return scores, with one being an NFL-best 109-yarder as a rookie in Minnesota.
The four-time All-Pro has been a bit of a journeyman. He spent four years with the Vikings, three years with the Falcons, two with the Bears, and one each with the Raiders and Patriots.
He signed a two-year deal with the Steelers last offseason. He will not be given the chance to finish that stint out.
Breaking newsPittsburgh Steelers release old washed up cordarrelle patterson on his day off!!!
— cordarrelle patterson (@ceeflashpee84) July 28, 2025
The Steelers reported to training camp last week. They had Monday off before returning to the field on Tuesday for their first fully padded session of fall camp.
Patterson will not be in attendance. Despite being relatively productive in his lone season with the franchise (215 rush/rec yards, 240 ret yards), the Steelers cut ties.
The news may not come as a complete shock to the wideout. He was vocal last year about his usage during the NFL Playoffs.
Pittsburgh lost an opening round playoff matchup to the Baltimore Ravens last January. The team totaled less than 300 yards in the 28-14 defeat.
Cordarrelle Patterson was not targeted in the passing game. He received no offensive touches. Instead, he was forced to watch his team struggle from the sidelines.
After the game, he took to social media to air out his frustrations. “Guess I’ll shovel snow since I can’t touch the field,” he wrote on an Instagram story after the game.
He also gave an emphatic response to critics suggesting he retire. “‘He’s washed, he’s old, he needs to retire,'” he wrote in a follow-up post. “Shut up and cheers… Chapter 13 loading.”
That 13th chapter was expected to come in Pittsburgh. Now, his future is unclear.
It seems likely that he’ll attempt to find another landing spot with an NFL team before Week 1. If not, he may be able to join a roster at some point during the year. Retirement, however, is not...