Packers president Mark Murphy, a member of the competition committee, cautioned last month that kickoffs face elimination unless the play becomes safer. The league is calling on special teams coordinators and head coaches to figure out if there is a way to cut down on concussions on kickoffs.
Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the best in the business with five career kickoff return touchdowns, hopes kickoffs remain a part of the game.
“They’re trying to No. 1, I guess it’s a safety reason or whatever they’re saying,” Patterson told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “It’s fun, man. For a lot of guys, it’s the only job we have, you know, is special teams. If you take kickoff returns out of the game, you’re going to take from a lot of people’s plate. So I don’t think they should do that. It’s real fun. Everybody enjoys it, and I just think they should keep it there.”
The Patriots acquired Patterson in a trade with the Raiders this offseason.