Despite having a smaller frame and a lack of interest from NFL scouts, Julian Edelman proved to be an absolute steal of a seventh-round pick for the New England Patriots. Thanks to a scrappy playstyle and a surprising amount of physicality, the 5-foot-10 wide receiver managed to enjoy a 12-year stint with the franchise, one that culminated in three Lombardi trophies and a Super Bowl MVP.
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However, much like every other story of success, Edelman’s began with failure and embarrassment. During a recent episode of his Games with Names podcast, the New England legend sat down with the American comedian, Adam Ray, to discuss, amongst other things, Edelman’s experience as a punt returner.
When asked if he was ever fearful of dropping the ball, the former wide receiver admitted that his first time fielding punts for the Patriots went about as poorly as you could expect for a late-round draft pick.
“When I first came to New England, at the first practice at training camp. I came from Kent State, at my senior day we had like, 800 people at the crowd. First day at New England, training camp, there’s 25,000 people surrounding the practice field, watching, chants, cheering. And I’m trying to catch punts for the first time in front of people and I start dropping ’em and sh*t. They started booing,” Edelman recalled.
Thankfully, the team’s veteran linebacker at the time, Tedy Bruschi, was there to encourage him a bit. “Hey, don’t worry, rook. They’re just saying my name.” Nevertheless, the moment inspired Edelman to fall back on his work ethic.
Little did those fans know that they had just given him the spark to become one of the best wide receivers in the history of their beloved franchise. Vividly remembering the moment to this very day, Edelman noted that he would always rely on work to help him manage any stress or adversity that would come his way.
“Whenever I got stressed, I just fell back on work. The more prepared you are, the better you’re going to do on the Sunday. The Sunday was always, you had the answers to the test, you’ve just got to take the test a million times at practice, and then, subconsciously, all your movements and your behaviors come out naturally when the game day comes,” Edelman outlined.
The Patriots 2025 Hall of Famer enjoyed a modest target share throughout the 11 games he played in as a rookie, producing 359 receiving yards on 37 receptions. While his breakout would still be a few years away, it proved to be enough for the Patriots’ front office to keep him around for a bit longer.
After amassing just 32 receptions throughout the next three seasons, Edelman would finally establish himself as one of the premiere weapons in Tom Brady’s arsenal. In 2013, he exploded for 1,056 receiving yards, 105 receptions, and six touchdowns.
The rest, as they say, is history. Edelman and Brady would go on to deliver countless highlight moments together, solidifying themselves as one of the better QB-WR duos in NFL history.
The epitome of underdog if there ever was one, Edelman’s legacy will be fondly remembered throughout the northern region of America for decades to come.
