It is the end of an era as another member of the storied New England Patriots dynasty has called it a career.
Julian Edelman announced his retirement yesterday after spending 12 seasons in the NFL, all as a Patriot.
“Jules” as he was called by teammates came into the league as a 7th round pick, 232nd overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Now that he retired, the debate begins whether he will be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
With the news of @Edelman11's retirement announcement today, he would first be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2026. pic.twitter.com/xRsP3QP25K
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) April 12, 2021
Will Julian Edelman be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
The answer is yes, and here is why.
1. Longevity
Edelman played 12 years in Bill Belichick’s offense.
In an organization with an offensive scheme that could insert and delete players at will and still succeed, Edelman (when he was not injured) was a fixture.
The Belichick offense always had a roster position for the under 6′ receiver with good hands and lots of speed.
Edelman’s predecessors Wes Welker and Deion Branch were there only a short time compared to his 12 seasons.
2. Did It All
Coach Belichick released a statement that alluded to the fact that Edelman did everything he was asked and then some.
In short, he caught, threw, blocked, and passed.
Edelman was not just an offensive player; his special teams stats are noteworthy also.
He has nearly 2,000 yards and 4 touchdowns from punt returns.
That was in addition to the 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns he scored on offense.
Bill Belichick’s statement on “the ultimate competitor”, Julian Edelman. pic.twitter.com/8pdZybjEyj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 12, 2021
3. Performed Well In Big Moments
Julian played for arguably the greatest coach of all time and caught passes from the GOAT.
To many, that will discount him from Hall of Fame consideration with the theory that he was at the right place at the right time.
However, to be a Patriot, he had to deliver the goods.
He was not a man of dropped passes in huge moments.
One of his 3 Super Bowl championships (in the monstrous come from behind win against Atlanta) is because he made the big catch when it needed to be done.
Top 10 sporting moments of the decade: Number 6!
In 2017 the New England Patriots turn around a 28-3 deficit vs the Atlanta Falcons, the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. A crazy Julian Edelman catch sets them on their way, leaving everyone still wondering how he did it!? pic.twitter.com/SPQKUCCYc6
— Flutter Nutterz (@FlutterNutterz) December 31, 2019
In 19 career playoff games, Edelman caught 5 touchdown passes and amassed 1,442 yards receiving.
Tom Brady summed up Edelman’s career and cemented his legacy as a Hall of Famer with this statement.
“That was when you shined the most. On the biggest stage and in the biggest moments, you always came through. I was a witness to so much of the journey and am so proud of you and how you grew from 7th-round underdog to an older 7th-round underdog…You never lost that chip on your shoulder. You never let anyone define you as a person or player. You have so many teammates that admired your work ethic and will to win, and I am at the top of the list because when I was down and feeling sorry for myself at times, you were right there to pick me up. You were as tough as could be and I love you for all that you did to make our teams as great as they could possibly be.”
NEXT: Bill Belichick's Reaction To Mac Jones' Overthrow Goes Viral
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