Browns' Rival Upgrades Return Game Following NFL Rule Change

The NFL passed new kickoff rules at the league's owner's meetings this week, which immediately forced the Pittsburgh Steelers to upgrade their kick return unit.

New Orleans Saints v Atlanta Falcons | Todd Kirkland/GettyImages

There's an argument to be made that the Pittsburgh Steelers are having one of the best offseasons in all of the NFL.

The Browns biggest rival spent the first two weeks of free agency revamping its QB room with the signing of veteran QB Russell Wilson, and subsequent trading for Justin Fields. It went on to poach standout linebacker Patrick Queen from Baltimore in free agency. For its latest move on Tuesday, Pittsburgh added wide receiver and return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson on a two year deal.

Prior to Tuesday such a move may not have felt all that significant. With the NFL adopting a new set of rules for kickoffs for the 2024 season at its annual owner's meetings this week though, it suddenly became a potentially impactful move for the Steelers.

Indianapolis Colts v Atlanta Falcons | Todd Kirkland/GettyImages

The new set of rules will resemble what we saw from the XFL in the spring of 2023 where kickers are encouraged to kick the ball into an imaginary landing zone that runs between the goal line and the 20. The new setup discourages kickers from booting the ball into or out of the end zone and encourages more returns, while also cutting down on high impact collisions.

Insert Patterson for Pittsburgh. The 33-year-old is entering his 11th season but is considered one of the best kick returners of all time. He is listed as a running back but has split out wide as a receiver on numerous occasions in recent years. His impact in the return game is what he's most known for though. Over his career he has nearly 8,000 return yards and nine touchdowns. Three times in his career he has had over 1,000 return yards in a season with the most recent being in 2020 with Chicago.

In three seasons in Atlanta from 2021-2023 he only had 16 total returns and very little production in the return game. With this change of the rules, the Steelers are taking a flyer on Patterson hoping to get a leg up in this new era for kick returns.