Randy Moss is more than just a great football player; he is a great human being. He may not have won a Super Bowl, but he earned something greater off the field: respect and admiration through his philanthropic efforts, even after hanging up the cleats. And in the locker room, he showed that same generosity, earning the respect of his teammates through simple, kind gestures.
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So, what did those gestures look like? For one, NFL rookies often get introduced to many team cultures, like rookie introduction sessions or the rookie dinner. But often, they also have to pay for their teammates’ lunches. And that’s exactly what Julian Edelman had to do during his rookie year with the New England Patriots.
After getting drafted as a 7th-round pick by the club in 2009, Edelman received a signing bonus of just $48,700. This wasn’t enough for an NFL player to sustain a living while also footing the bill for team lunches. But a tradition is a tradition, so he had to roll with it.
Thankfully, it was Randy Moss who stepped in to help him out, as Edelman recalled on the Let’s Go! podcast: “As the rookie of the room, I’d have to go in and buy the lunches, and he (Randy Moss) knew I didn’t have much money and he’d always slide me a couple hundred bucks.”
A small gesture, but certainly one that shows character and leadership through and through. But it turns out, Moss didn’t just help out Julian; he used to do this often to support the rookies on his team. One NFL vet even vouched for it in the comments of the IG post.
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Former WR Nathan Palmer, who was signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2012 as an undrafted free agent, wrote, “I can vouch! He did this my rookie year with the Niners! Randy one of the realest [goat emoji].”
Randy Moss was the real deal… always looking out for rookie WRs, even slipping them lunch money when they needed it pic.twitter.com/gqAkJnWoBz
— Depressed Eagles Fan (@nfl_rocky) July 5, 2025
Moss helped out his rookies as much as he could since he knew what they went through financially, even though, as a first-round selection, he didn’t face the same hurdles in his debut year.
When a fan replied to Nathan’s comment saying Moss is the “best WR to ever play the game IMO,” Nathan said that it is “a valid debate ngl.”
Meanwhile, another reply to Nathan’s comment read, “I played against him in college… super nice guy,” showing that even his rivals had respect for him. After all, not many keep their good deeds private.
But at the same time, some fans also raised their eyebrows over the traditions players follow in the locker room. One such fan wrote, “NFL puts ALL of its players through financial literacy and responsibility classes but somehow this is still a tradition. Idk, kinda weird to me.” While another fan wrote, “The bigger issue is abuse and bullying. I’d sue the entire franchise. Play football don’t play with me.”
Despite the tradition, it was Moss who was the difference-maker and made sure he had the backs of his rookies. A true class act.
