For the second straight year and the fourth time in eight NFL seasons, Bears kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson has been named Associated Press first-team All-Pro.
Patterson led the NFL with 1,017 kickoff return yards and ranked second with a 29.1-yard average on 35 returns, including a 104-yard touchdown in a Week 10 win over the Vikings.
"He's a special player that does so many great things," coach Matt Nagy told reporters. "I love the fact that he's getting recognized. Teams have to prepare for him, and then just the confidence that he has and what he's done field position-wise, returning one for a touchdown, he's just energetic.
"And on top of that, too, y'all know the type of personality that he is. He's the glue that keeps a lot of us together, and I appreciate that about him. He's a positive, happy-go-lucky guy that is very selfless. It speaks highly of who he is."
Patterson's 104-yard return against Minnesota set a record for the longest kickoff return in Bears history and was the eighth kickoff touchdown of his career, tying Joshua Cribbs and Leon Washington for the most in NFL history.
Patterson is the first Bears kickoff returner to be named first-team All-Pro in back-to-back seasons since Devin Hester in 2006-07. Last year, Patterson also led the NFL in kickoff return yards (825) and ranked second in kickoff-return average (29.5) like he did in 2020.
Patterson was previously named first-team All-Pro when he played for the Vikings as a rookie in 2013 and again in 2016. He was also selected second-team All-Pro in 2015 and 2018.
“He’s a special player that does so many great things. I love the fact that he’s getting recognized.” Bears coach Matt Nagy on Cordarrelle Patterson
Two other Bears players were honored this season, with edge rusher Khalil Mack and linebacker Roquan Smith being named second-team All-Pro.
Mack led the Bears with 9.0 sacks, while Smith ranked second in the NFL in both solo tackles (96) and tackles-for-loss (18) and was seventh in tackles with a career-high and team-leading 139.
Patterson and Mack also were voted to the Pro Bowl this season.
The Associated Press has named KR Cordarrelle Patterson to the NFL All-Pro first team while giving OLB Khalil Mack and ILB Roquan Smith second team honors. Take a look at some of the best photos of these three Bears stars from the 2020 season.
