Before Jaret Patterson went on to the University of Buffalo and became a record-breaking running back, he was a star in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The Washington Football Team plays its home games at FedEx Field, located in Prince George’s County.
Patterson, who signed with Washington on Saturday after the 2021 NFL draft concluded as an undrafted free agent, happens to be good friends with the WFT’s biggest star, defensive end Chase Young. Patterson and Young have been friends since middle school after competing against — and with — one another on the gridiron.
“Since middle school, we’ve been tight. That bond, we went to Pallotti together, experiencing the grind. It kind of just clicked. Even when he went to DeMatha, we were still tight,” Patterson said in an interview with Scott Abraham of ABC 7 in Washington, D.C.
Young and Patterson were teammates at St. Vincent Pallotti in Laurel for two seasons before Young transferred to DeMatha. The two remained close.
Our relationship is good to this day. I see him as a friend, a brother. He has the right to say that he made this happen as well. He vouched for me, he wanted me to come to Washington. He vouched for me to Coach Rivera, that definitely shows he believes in me and I’m going to put on.
While Young may have “vouched” for Rivera to sign Patterson, the incoming rookie back certainly earned the opportunity. Patterson is best known for the game where he rushed for over 400 yards and tied an FBS record with eight rushing touchdowns, but in three years at Buffalo, he rushed for over 1,000 yards each season.
Now, Patterson looks to make his mark in the NFL and earn a spot on Washington’s 53-man roster this summer.