Watch: Cordarrelle Patterson breaks the record for most kickoff return touchdowns

Cordarrelle Patterson has done it, he has broken the NFL all-time record for the most kick return touchdowns ever.

The 31-year-old running back took a kick return for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears when the Atlanta Falcons needed it most.

Cordarrelle Patterson breaks NFL record for most kick return touchdowns

Most people were already aware coming into week 11 that Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the greatest special teamers ever, was just one kick return touchdown away from breaking the tie for most kick return touchdowns in a career with nine.

Patterson, the drafted wide receiver turned running back, broke his tie with Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington.

As you know, it is so difficult to take a kickoff for a touchdown and so it is impressive that he was able to do it, but he also did it when the Falcons needed it the most. The Bears had just taken a 10-point lead with the second quarter winding down and the ensuing kickoff was when history was made.

Cordarrelle started his career off as a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 but could never get established as a consistent playmaker on offense. He ended up moving on to the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots for one year each in 2017 and 2018 respectively, then the Chicago Bears (which is the same team he just broke the record against) from 2019 to 2020, and finally the Atlanta Falcons where he has become a legit offensive playmaker.

Now that he sits alone in the record books, it will be interesting to see whether the Falcons still have him return kicks. They may not want to risk his health since he is such an important player for the offense, so they may put Avery Williams back out there from now on.

Something else worth wondering is whether or not anyone will ever catch up to Patterson with there being talks over the past few years about eliminating kickoffs due to their dangerous nature.

The Falcons have now seen two of the greatest special teamers in NFL history break their respective records, the other one being Devin Hester back in 2015.