Greg Patterson was a football star at Lee High School in Huntsville during the late 1960s. He was a dazzling passing quarterback at Lee. Patterson played in the Alabama All-Star Game in Tuscaloosa following his senior season. He later received his degree from North Alabama.

Patterson began his coaching career as an assistant at Cullman and later was an assistant at J.O. Johnson in Huntsville. He worked ten years as an assistant before landing his first head coaching job in football.

In 1984 he accepted the head coaching position at Huntsville High School. Patterson led the Huntsville Panthers to the schools first 10-0 regular season in 1998.

Coach Patterson is the winningest football coach in the history of Huntsville High in 18 seasons at the helm. Pattersons teams won 104 games and lost 87 under his direction. His teams won five area and region titles and made nine playoff appearances during his tenure with the school.

After retirement in 2002, he became the Director of the Huntsville Parks and Recreation Department.

Patterson has served as president of the state Coaches Association, and was coach for the North team and led the squad to a victory over the South in the 2000 North-South All-Star game.