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Former Steelers 4× Pro Bowl & 4x All-Pro Agrees to Pay Cut to Return, Helping Team Overcome Injury Crisis

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Will Cordarrelle Patterson improve Steelers' special teams? | Pittsburgh  Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH, PA — There are players who change a game, and there are players who change a locker room. Cordarrelle Patterson has always been both.

In a move that feels as much like family as it does business, the four-time Pro Bowl running back and return legend agreed to a steep pay cut to stay in black and gold. He could have left. He could have chased the bigger check. Instead, he halved his contract and chose to fight with Pittsburgh — a team battered by injuries, but still clinging to AFC North dreams.

“This city welcomed me, and I’m not done giving back,” Patterson said. “I believe in what’s building here. When you wear black and gold, it means something.”

The Steelers sit at 3–1, their record shiny but their roster bruised. Cam Heyward is sidelined, Alex Highsmith is hurting, the secondary is patchworked, and the special teams have been shaky at best. For Mike Tomlin, Patterson isn’t just a depth signing — he’s a lifeline.

He can flip the field in a heartbeat as the NFL’s all-time kickoff return king. He can line up in the backfield to ease the load on Najee Harris. And he can remind a young locker room what resilience looks like.

GM Omar Khan called him “a veteran who chooses grit over comfort.” In Pittsburgh, that’s about the highest compliment there is.

Explosiveness on Special Teams: He owns 9 career kickoff return touchdowns — no one else in NFL history has more.

Versatility on Offense: Jet sweeps, third-down checks, screen passes — Patterson can give Justin Fields a safety valve when the pocket collapses.

Leadership: He’s been a Pro Bowler four times across different roles. His energy, his voice, and his toughness are as valuable as his stats.

Projections have him logging 40+ special teams snaps and 10–15 offensive touches per game. But the truth is, his impact can’t be measured in touches alone.

Pittsburgh has always been about more than football. It’s about the grit, the steel, the relentless fight. Patterson embodies that spirit.

Fans on X were already celebrating under the hashtag #FlashInTheSteel. One post summed it up: “He could’ve walked — instead he stayed. That’s Pittsburgh football.”

For Patterson, the return isn’t about extending a career. It’s about honoring a jersey that means more than numbers. And for the Steelers, it’s about reminding the league that no matter the injuries, the fight never leaves Pittsburgh.

Raiders Reunite with a Former Starter to Fortify the Offensive Line
Las Vegas, NV   The Las Vegas Raiders have brought back a familiar face in a move that screams both urgency and savvy: versatile offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor is returning to the Silver & Black on a one-year deal (terms not disclosed), reuniting with the franchise where he logged some of the best football of his career and immediately fortifying a position group that has been stretched thin. Eluemunor, 31, started for the Raiders from 2021–2023, showing rare position flexibility across right tackle and guard while anchoring pass protection against premier edge rushers. His technique, anchor, and ability to handle long-arm power made him a steadying force during multiple playoff pushes. After departing Vegas, Eluemunor spent time elsewhere refining his craft, but a confluence of roster needs and scheme familiarity has set the stage for a timely homecoming. For the Raiders—fighting to keep pace in a rugged AFC—this is about stability and fit. Injuries and week-to-week availability on the right side of the line have forced constant shuffling; protection packages have leaned heavily on chips and condensed splits to survive obvious passing downs. Eluemunor’s return allows the staff to plug him at RT or slide him inside at RG, restoring balance to protections and widening the run-game menu (duo, inside zone, and the toss/ pin-pull that Vegas fans love when the edge is sealed). “Jermaine knows who we are and how we want to play,” a team source said. “He brings ballast. Assignment sound, physical, and smart—he raises the floor for the entire unit.” Beyond the X’s and O’s, there’s an unmistakable emotional charge to this reunion. Eluemunor was a locker-room favorite in his previous stint—professional, detail-driven, and accountable. The belief internally is that his presence stabilizes communication on the right side (IDs, slides, and pass-off rules vs. games and simulated pressures), which in turn unlocks more vertical concepts and keeps the quarterback cleaner late in games. On social media, Raider Nation lit up the timeline with a simple refrain: “Welcome back, Jem.” Many fans called the deal the exact kind of “rival-poach, ready-to-play” move a contender makes in October: low friction, high impact, zero learning curve. What it means on the field (immediately): Pass pro: Fewer emergency chips, more five-out releases—OC can re-open deeper intermediate shots without living in max-protect. Run game: Better edge control on toss/duo; more confidence running to the right on money downs. Depth & versatility: One injury doesn’t force a cascade of position changes; Eluemunor can cover two spots with starting-level competency. The timetable? Swift. Because Eluemunor already speaks the language—terminology, splits, cadence rules—he could suit up as early as this weekend if the medicals/check-ins continue to trend positive. The message is clear: the Raiders aren’t waiting around for the line to gel—they’re engineering it. If Jermaine Eluemunor plays to his Raider résumé, this reunion could be the precise mid-season jolt that steadies the offense and keeps the Silver & Black firmly in the postseason race. Raider Nation, the question writes itself: Plug-and-play stopgap—or the catalyst that reclaims the right side