Julian Edelman

At 37 years old, Julian Edelman has this physical status:

College career

Edelman spent a year at the College of San Mateo after high school. He rushed for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns, a school record 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns. He then went to Kent State University, where he concentrated on company administration. Edelman, a three-year quarterback at Kent State, was a three-year starter at quarterback. Edelman was the Golden Flashes' top passer, totaling 56% of his passes (153 of 275 passes for 1,820 yards) with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions during his senior season. He was also their top rusher, rushing 1,370 yards on 215 attempts (an average of 6.4 yards per carry) and scoring 13 touchdowns. Joshua Cribbs' single-season school record, which was set in 2003, was beaten by his total offense.

Professional career

Edelman was not invited to the 2009 NFL Combine. He completed the short shuttle in 3.92 seconds on Pro Day on March 12; the fastest time at the Combine this year was 3.96 seconds.

The New England Patriots, who had private workouts with Edelman prior to the 2009 NFL Draft, selected him with the 27th pick of the seventh round (232nd overall), ahead of Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer, who joined the Patriots as a free agent. Several analysts speculated that the Patriots may have chosen Edelman for his future in a Wildcat lineup. Edelman signed a four-year deal with the Patriots that included a $48,700 signing bonus on July 16, 2009. Edelman later stated that he knew he did not have the ability to make an NFL roster as a quarterback, so he prepared himself to play at positions other than quarterback. Edelman was placed on the "negotiation list," a list of American players for whom they have exclusive negotiation rights, and the BC Lions gave him a three-year, incentive-rich contract to play quarterback.

Edelman returned a punt 75 yards and made the team over former Eagles wide receiver Greg Lewis, for whom the Patriots had given up a fifth-round draft pick in 2009.

Edelman missed the Patriots' Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills due to an ankle injury, but he got off to a good start in Week 2 against the New York Jets, which was also the first game Wes Welker had missed since being a Patriot in 2007. Edelman led all receivers with eight receptions for 98 yards, and he gained 38 yards on two kickoff returns and 2 yards on a punt return for a total of 138 all-purpose yards.

Edelman broke his arm in the Patriots' 56-0 win over the Tennessee Titans, but he did not accompany the Patriots on their ride to London to meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Edelman was leading all rookies with 21 receptions at the time of his injury. He returned from the Indianapolis Colts' Week 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts, where he scored his first official NFL touchdown on a 9-yard reception from Brady.

Edelman was on to cover Welker's role after breaking two knee ligaments against the Houston Texans; Edelman intercepted 10 of the 15 passes thrown to him for 103 yards, his first 100-yard game of his NFL career; when Welker was suspended for the season. He had 37 receptions for 359 yards and one touchdown during the regular season. On 17 kickoff returns, he made six punt returns as well as 11 kickoff returns, totaling 304 yards on 17 plays.

Edelman's six passes from Brady for 44 yards, including both of the Patriots' touchdowns in the Patriots' Wild Card Round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Edelman was the first rookie to score two receiving touchdowns in a single postseason game since David Sloan did so for the Detroit Lions in 1995.

Edelman saw a decrease in playing time in the 2010 season, with four receptions for 14 yards in 15 games. Edelman profited from three receptions for 72 yards and a 94-yard punt return touchdown in Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins, with Welker, Deion Branch, and Aaron Hernandez suspended. It was the first punt return by a Patriot since Troy Brown returned one against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 of the 2001 season, and the longest punt return in Patriots franchise history, surpassing Mike Haynes' 89-yard return in 1976.

Edelman led the Bears to second place in the league after the Bears' Devin Hester set a new franchise record by running 15.3 yards per pass, second in the league. Edelman appeared in 15 games for 86 yards and 321 return yards on 21 punt return attempts in the 2010 season. Edelman had a 12-yard reception against the New York Jets in the Divisional Round, defeating the 28–21 loss.

Edelman was mainly used as a kick and punt returner throughout the 2011 season. During the Patriots' Week 10 game against the New York Jets, he was forced to play as a defensive back for the first time in his career; he was awarded his first tackle on defense after blocking running back LaDainian Tomlinson on a play in which Tomlinson broke his knee.

He played defensive back in nickel and dime situations during the Patriots' Week 11 match against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. He also punt 72 yards for a touchdown, earning him his first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. In Week 12, he was named "Hardest Working Man" for his Week 12 appearance against the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he made an open-field tackle on Vince Young to stop a touchdown. Edelman appeared in 13 games for 34 yards and 584 return yards on 40 kickoff and punt returns during the 2011 season.

Edelman played 27 of 67 offensive snaps at wide receiver, including one that converted to a third down attempt, and 27 of 73 defensive snaps at cornerback, many covering the Ravens' Anquan Boldin; Edelman was credited with a forced fumble on the Ravens' final drive. The Patriots went on to win the AFC Championship, but the New York Giants lost Super Bowl XLVI. Edelman had three kickoff returns for 73 net return yards in the game.

Edelman's snap count increased in the first two games of the 2012 season, including a Week 2 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which he started over Wes Welker. Edelman was out for the next three games after suffering a hand injury in the Patriots' Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He then saw limited service until the Patriots' historic-tying Week 11 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, in which he had one of his best games of his career. Edelman finished five plays for 58 yards and a two-yard touchdown on a single rush attempt on a reverse play and collected 47 yards on a single play, with two punts totaling 117 yards. Edelman had three punt return touchdowns on the first of those punt returns for a touchdown, tied for the Patriots' franchise record. With two touchdowns, Edelman had 105 yards of total offense and 222 all-purpose yards.

Edelman scored two more touchdowns in the Patriots' victory over the New York Jets in the second quarter, breaking a franchise record of five touchdowns and 35 points in one quarter; he recovered a Jets' touchdown and returned it 22 yards on a kickoff return; and Tom Brady's 56-yard touchdown pass. Despite having left early in the third quarter due to a head injury, he became the first player since the AFL–NFL merger with both a receiving touchdown and a return touchdown in consecutive games. Edelman broke his right foot and was put on injured reserve in a game against the Miami Dolphins on December 2 and was put on injured reserve. He missed the remainder of the season. Edelman appeared in nine games for 235 yards and 301 return yards on 20 kickoff-punt combined return opportunities in 2012.

Edelman became a free agent following the 2012 season. On April 10, 2013, he re-signed with New England on a one-year contract.

Edelman scored both of New England's touchdowns in their 23–21 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the 2013 season opener. He had three punt returns for a total of 32 yards, giving him a total of 75 returns for 975 yards. Edelman led the NFL's all-time punt return average with 13.0 yards per return, well over former Chicago Bear George McAfee's 12.8 yards per game, but his average dropped below 12.8 shortly afterward.

Edelman had nine catches on 11 attempts for 110 yards and two touchdowns in a dramatic Week 12 comeback victory over the Denver Broncos; the Patriots overcame a 24-point deficit, scored 31 unanswered points, and kicked the winning field goal in the closing minutes of overtime. Edelman defeated Denver's triplet star wide receivers combined, outscoring them in Denver's triplet star wide receivers. Edelman became the third Patriots player to pass over 100 passes in a season in the Patriots' 34–20 victory over the Buffalo Bills in their second divisional matchup in Week 17. Edelman's 2013 was his best game in the series, with 105 receptions for 1,056 receiving yards and 35 punt return opportunities for 374 yards. In the Divisional Round, the Patriots defeated the AFC East and meet the Indianapolis Colts. He had six receptions for 84 receiving yards in the 43-22 victory. In the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos, he had ten receptions for 89 receiving yards in the 26-16 loss.

Edelman became a free agent after the 2013 season. On March 15, 2014, he signed with the Patriots on a four-year contract for $17 million.

In 2014, Edelman appeared in 14 games for the Patriots. He had 92 receptions for 972 receiving yards as well as four touchdowns. Edelman punted 84 yards for his fourth career return touchdown, beating Troy Brown for the most punt return touchdowns in Patriots history. Edelman passed for a touchdown by Tom Brady, broke two tackles, and ran for 69 yards for a touchdown in Week 14 against the San Diego Chargers; it was the last touchdown of the game that led to the Patriots' victory, which was the second touchdown of the season.

The Patriots won the AFC East and then returned to the playoffs. Edelman's first NFL touchdown pass attempted in the Patriots' Divisional Round game against the Baltimore Ravens was his first NFL touchdown pass attempt. Edelman threw a forward pass to Danny Amendola, who scored a 51-yard touchdown to tie the game at 28-30 after receiving a lateral pass from Brady. In the AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts, he had nine receptions for 98 receiving yards in the 45–7 victory.

Edelman led all receivers in yardage against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX (teammate Shane Vereen had 11 receptions). With a touchdown reception of 2:02 left in the fourth quarter, his first touchdown reception of the season, the Patriots defeated the Patriots 28-28. Edelman led all receivers in both receptions (26) and receiving yards (281) for the postseason as a whole. He was ranked 91st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.

Edelman started for the Patriots against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10 in the season-opening game on Thursday Night Football. In the 28–21 victory, he led the Patriots in yards and receptions, with 11 receptions for 97 yards. Edelman had 11 catches in the Patriots' second game of the season against the Buffalo Bills, making it the first time in his career he had back-to-back games with at least ten catches. In Week 5, Edelman completed four passes on five targets for 120 yards against the Dallas Cowboys.

Edelman sustained an ankle fracture on his left foot against the New York Giants on November 15, requiring him to do foot surgery on November 16, 2015. He was supposed to return to the field in six to eight weeks, just in time for the playoffs, but that was dependent on his recovery process. Edelman had 61 catches for 692 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games. Edelman was back in the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs. Edelman had ten catches for 100 yards to help the Patriots beat the Chiefs 27-20 and advance to the AFC Championship game for the fifth year in a row. Edelman had 7 receptions for 53 yards in the AFC Championship, but the Patriots lost 20-19 to the Denver Broncos. Edelman was ranked 87th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

Edelman was fined $26,309 for a strike on a defenseless player when he collided with Deone Bucannon helmet-to-helmet on September 15, 2016. In Week 13, against the Los Angeles Rams, he had eight receptions for 101 yards. Edelman was blocked by newcomer wide receiver Michael Floyd on a catch and run that culminated in a 35-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. He had eight receptions for 151 yards, earning him the Week's Defensive Player of the Week award. He was the first Patriots wide receiver to win the award since Randy Moss in 2007. He finished the season with a career-high 1,106 receiving yards on 98 attempts. Edelman was ranked 71st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

Edelman earned his 70th postseason pass in the Patriots' Divisional Round victory over the Houston Texans, beating Wes Welker's franchise record. The Patriots won the AFC Championship Game for the sixth straight season as Edelman had eight catches for 137 yards in the victory. Edelman had eight passes for 118 yards in the AFC Championship's 36–17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots made their NFL debut in their ninth Super Bowl appearance.

Edelman made five catches for 87 yards against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Edelman and three defenders (Alford, Rizman, and Keanu Neal) were caught in the fourth quarter, where cornerback Robert Alford's first call was evidently poor, but Edelman and three defenders (Alford, Ridoff, and Keanu Neal) lunged at the ball, and the reception was held just inches above the ground, with cornerback Robert Alford's leg standing straight across the air, with the ball immediately leaping off the ball A catch on the field was announced, and Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was up for a challenge. "The best catch in Super Bowl history" was proclaimed by NFL Films, which was picked for the front page of Sports Illustrated. Edelman's catch gave the Patriots a major comeback, having trailed the Falcons 28–3 in the third quarter before winning 34–28 in overtime.

Edelman announced on June 8, 2017 that he had signed a two-year, $11 million contract extension with the Patriots, with $9 million covered through the 2019 season. Edelman tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which occurred early in his 2017 season, on August 25, in the team's third preseason match against the Detroit Lions. On September 2, 2017, he was put on injured reserve. Without Edelman, the Patriots went 13-3 and won Super Bowl LII. The Patriots lost 41-33 to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Edelman was expected to participate in the 2018 training camp by February 28, 2018, according to the magazine. Edelman was expected to be suspended for four games due to a breach of the policy against using performance-enhancing drugs, according to the company. Edelman appealed the suspension on June 26, but his appeal was dismissed on July 3. Edelman appeared in the first four games of the season and was activated on October 2nd. He played for the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football, where he made seven passes for 57 yards. In Week 8, against the Buffalo Bills, he had nine receptions for 104 yards, leading off the victory on Monday Night Football. In Week 10, he recorded nine receptions for 104 yards in a loss to the Tennessee Titans. Edelman was fined $63,504 for three personal foul fouls on December 29, the first time in Week 16. With 74 receptions for 870 receiving yards and six touchdowns, he finished the 2018 season with 74 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns. The Patriots made the AFC's best seed in the playoffs on an 11-5 record and were ranked as the second seed in the AFC.

In the Patriots' 41–28 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, he had nine receptions for 151 yards. In the 37–31 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, he had seven receptions for 96 yards. Edelman finished with 10 passes on 12 targets for 141 yards in Super Bowl LIII, beating the Los Angeles Rams 13–3. Since Santonio Holmes did so in Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, he became the first wide receiver to win Super Bowl MVP. He finished the year with 26 receptions for 388 yards, the highest total score, putting him in second place all-time in playoff receptions and receiving yards behind Jerry Rice. Edelman is the first Jewish footballer to be named Super Bowl MVP.

Edelman's MVP award was criticized because it came in the same year he was banned from using an unidentified performance-enhancing drug, but some studies found that a significant portion of the criticism came from baseball writers. Players banned from receiving awards from the league or the NFL Players' Association are not eligible for PED use. Edelman apologised during the Super Bowl by saying, "It'll never happen again."

Despite a relative lack of regular season production, his success in the 2018 playoffs has sparked discussion about inducting him into the Hall of Fame. He was ranked 90th by his peers on the 2019 NFL Top 100 Players of the NFL.

Edelman signed a two-year, $18 million contract extension with the Patriots on May 21, 2019, keeping him under control until the 2021 season. Edelman scored six passes for 83 yards and threw one pass for 32 yards in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, defeating them 33–3. Edelman made seven passes for 62 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season in Week 3 against the New York Jets. However, he sustained a rib injury in the second quarter, which forced him to miss the game. Edelman recovered from his injury against the Washington Redskins in Week 5; he had eight receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown; he became the first Patriot to record at least 100 yards all season. Edelman had nine catches for 113 yards against the New York Giants in Week 6, the 35–14 victory. Edelman tied for the third most receptions in Patriots history in the game. Edelman converted eight passes for 78 yards and a season-high two touchdowns in the 27–13 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 8. Edelman intercepted five passes for 53 yards and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Phillip Dorsett II in Week 11, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles by five yards and a 15-yard touchdown pass. Edelman had six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football in Week 13 against the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. Edelman finished for three touchdowns for 26 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17. Edelman made the game his 100th catches on the season. He had 100 receptions for 1,117 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns in the 2019 season. Edelman caught three passes for 30 yards and two times for a touchdown in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Tennessee Titans, winning by two touchdowns and a touchdown during the 20–13 loss.

Edelman had eight receptions for a career-high 179 passing yards against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 as the Patriots lost a close game 30–35 on NBC Sunday Night Football. In Week 6, against the Denver Broncos, he completed two passes in the game on trick plays, which lost by 18–12. Edelman played his last game on October 25, 2020, which was a 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Edelman ended the game with one reception for 13 yards. Edelman was put on injured reserve after undergoing minor knee surgery on October 31, 2020. By the time, he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list and then moved to injured reserve on December 10. Edelman was expected to return from injured reserve on December 16, 2020, extending his 21-day window for the Patriots to include him on the active roster, but head coach Bill Belichick announced on January 1, 2021, that he would not be activated until the end of the season.

Edelman announced his retirement on April 12, 2021, after 12 seasons with the Patriots. His release came after the Patriots ended his deal because he failed to perform a physical. Bill Belichick posted a tweet lauding Edelman's competitiveness, mental, and physical tenacity, touting him as the "most valuable throwback player" for his versatile abilities and expressing his admiration for his versatile abilities after the reveal, saying that working with him was a privilege. Edelman was "one of the best success stories in our franchise's history," Robert Kraft said in his address. Tom Brady wrote about his admiration for Edelman as a player and friend on social media, and Cam Newton announced that Edelman would be missing.

Edelman conducted a series of podcast interviews into his career, including Pardon My Take and Green Light with Chris Long, a 2016 teammate of Edelman. He revealed that he would start a media career and will appear on Inside the NFL. The speculation was immediately apparent that he'd return to the NFL to play with former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as a Brady remark; Edelman denied the allegations, saying he was "a one-team guy."

His retirement has also reignited the controversy about inducting him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which had begun after his MVP debut in Super Bowl LIII. Opponents cite a lack of Pro Bowl nominations and other common measures for assessing NFL careers. Prosecutors cite his appearances on three Super Bowl-winning Patriots teams as well as his second-place finish in all-time receptions and receiving yards.

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