Minnesota Vikings wideout Cordarrelle Patterson has admitted that he needs to improve his work ethic next season.
Despite recording a league-leading 32.4-yard average per kickoff return and scoring two touchdowns, the 2013 first-round Draft pick insisted that he needs to do better in his second season in the league.
Patterson will be playing under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner, and his teammate Greg Jennings has admitted everybody on the roster will need to work harder if they are to understand the complex methods.
The receiver told reporters: "I don't think my work ethic was good enough last year. I think I was kind of bad last year. This year will be way better.
"I want to learn everything this year and if someone goes down, I can be that guy to step in. Football can't last forever and I watched a movie last night. Dude only played two years in the league, you know, and he was done. He was saying to himself he had nothing to lean on.
"The only thing he knew was football. I don't want to be that guy. This year, I could get hurt or something. I don't want to jinx myself. I just need to work hard."
During the second half of last season, Patterson gained 479 yards on kick returns and receptions, leading the Vikings to have high hopes for him for the forthcoming campaign.
Joe McPhee
