PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Shell Allows Patterson Back

Elvis has returned.

As a Raider.

Suspended defensive back-special teams captain Elvis Patterson, his career as a Raider and perhaps in the NFL in jeopardy, has been reinstated by the Raiders.

The 31-year-old Patterson was suspended by Coach Art Shell on July 31 after Patterson got into a dispute with defensive backfield coach Jack Stanton.

That argument ended when Patterson body-slammed the 54-year-old Stanton to the ground.

The incident occurred in Flagstaff, Ariz., where the Raiders went to scrimmage the Phoenix Cardinals. Shell sent Patterson home and he hadn’t been in uniform since.

But after days of deliberation with his coaching staff and players, Shell decided to fine Patterson, but allow him to return.

Shell said he deliberately did not make his decision “in the heat of battle” because he did not want to react to the situation emotionally.

“I let it sink in,” he said. “I listened to people because I had the time and I wanted to make the best decision for everybody.

“The decision was definitely mine. If I did not want him back, he would not be back.”

The consensus among the players he talked with, Shell said, was to give Patterson another chance.

“People I respect came to me,” Shell said, “and I listened.”

Shell finally reached a decision Monday night. Patterson was expected back in camp Tuesday night.

“I explained my reasons to the team and talked to the coaching staff,” Shell said. “I don’t condone what he did. I would never condone a player hitting a coach or a coach hitting a player.

“It should never happen again, but he has paid the price for it. Now, let’s move forward.”

Shell said he is expecting the arrival of “several” of the team’s remaining six holdouts within the next 24 hours. Running back Marcus Allen is known to be close to a settlement. Other holdouts are wide receiver Tim Brown, cornerback Terry McDaniel, linebacker Winston Moss and defensive linemen Greg Townsend and Scott Davis.