Former New England Patriots wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Cordarrelle Patterson is facing a domestic assault charge in Tennessee, with newly reported court documents outlining the allegations that led to his arrest.
Patterson, 35, was arrested Saturday, October 17, in Sevierville, Tennessee. While the initial report offered few details, a local television station subsequently obtained documents alleging that the former NFL standout grabbed a woman’s arm during an argument, leaving bruising.
Patterson was released from the Sevier County Jail on a $1,000 bond. The accusation remains an allegation, and the charge doesn’t establish guilt.
Court Documents Reveal Details of Patterson’s Arrest
WVLT News reported Monday, October 19, that court documents described a response by police to a home on Rambling Creek Way after a woman called to report an assault.
According to the documents as described by WVLT, the woman and Patterson had been arguing when he allegedly grabbed her arm. The reported account says the contact caused bruising. WVLT did not identify the woman or provide additional information about her relationship to Patterson.
The television station’s report supplied additional details about the alleged encounter following news of Patterson’s arrest over the weekend.
TMZ Sports broke the story Saturday, reporting that the former Patriots player had been booked into a Tennessee jail early that morning on a domestic assault charge. At the time, TMZ said it had reached out to law enforcement for further information but had received no response.
The later WVLT account identified the location involved in the police response and described the conduct alleged in the court documents.
Neither the original TMZ report nor WVLT’s subsequent account included a statement from Patterson disputing or addressing the allegations. The reports didn’t establish an outcome in the case, and a criminal charge is separate from a conviction.
For Patriots fans, the news concerns a recognizable member of the franchise’s 2018 Super Bowl championship team. Patterson’s time in New England was relatively brief, although he contributed to one of the organization’s most memorable postseason runs.
Patterson Helped Patriots Win Super Bowl LIII
Patterson spent the 2018 season with the Patriots and developed into a versatile contributor in an offense led by Tom Brady. New England used him as a wide receiver, ball carrier and kickoff returner, taking advantage of the speed and open-field ability that made him one of the league’s most dangerous special teams players.
Across 15 regular-season games, Patterson caught 21 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns while adding 228 rushing yards and another score on 42 attempts, per the Patriots’ 2018 statistics.
One of his signature performances came in a 38-31 road victory over the Chicago Bears that October. Patterson returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, helping New England recover from an early deficit. The Patriots also scored on a blocked-punt return that afternoon, with their special teams accounting for two touchdowns.
Patterson later helped the Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII in February 2019. He finished that game with two receptions for 14 yards and two rushing attempts for seven yards as New England secured its sixth championship.
The former first-round pick went on to play for the Bears, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers after leaving New England. His career included four Pro Bowl selections and four first-team All-Pro honors, while his nine kickoff returns for touchdowns remain an NFL record.
Pittsburgh released Patterson in July 2025 following his lone season with the team. He had played 13 games for the Steelers in 2024, rushing for 135 yards and catching 12 passes for 80 yards.
Former Patriots Playmaker Faces Domestic Assault Charge as New Details Surface