There was a time when the Patriots were dominant. Led by Tom Brady, they had Randy Moss and Wes Welker as their primary receivers, putting up astonishing numbers together. They also had Julian Edelman, who would later become Brady’s most trusted wideout in their second dynasty, but at the time, he was just a rookie quarterback whom Bill drafted in the seventh round.
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The team converted him to receiver, yet he was so deep on the depth chart that he had to play as a returner, defensive back, or whatever role would get him on the field.
Edelman was eager to learn, and for that, he was willing to do anything, observing two of the best route runners in the game, Moss and Welker, asking them questions, and even enduring their abuse and rookie hazing. He wanted to do whatever it took to please them, even if it meant shamelessly sucking up, just to learn.
Moss, already one of the greatest receivers of all time, treated Jules like his scut monkey, affectionately calling him “Edelnut.” He’d have Edelman prepare his bath and fetch his Gatorade, a deceptively laborious task, since Moss insisted the tub water be at a precise temperature, with menthol and bath salts mixed in just right.
” He used to call me “Edelnut”. Hey, Edelnut, get my hot tub about 103 and get my Gatorade. He never wanted to go on the regular hot tub. He had to have his own sh*t with a little it was like Menthol, rubbing alcohol in there, and he goes like, hey, Edelman, go get my towel, my Gatorade, make that hot tub about 103-102. Don’t f*ck it up.”
Around Christmas, Edelman had another encounter that left him both confused and a little shaken. Speaking on the “New Heights” podcast, he recalled how his attempts to be overly pleasant to Moss once backfired. The Hall of Famer was on the phone with his mother, sharing holiday wishes, when Edelman, thinking he was just being nice, interrupted to ask Moss to pass along a “Merry Christmas” from him.
What happened next was not what Jules expected. Moss suddenly shouted at him, calling him “Edelnut” and telling him in no uncertain terms to keep his mouth shut anytime he saw him talking to his mother. He just walked away, scared shitless, and learning a valuable lesson.
” This one time, Randy, it was like the day before Christmas, and we had to work, we had a game on Christmas. Randy was talking to his mom, and I just walked by and was like, hey, Randy, tell Mama Moss, I said, Merry Christmas. He goes Edelnut, when I’m talking to my motherf*ckin mom, you shut the f*ck up. I walked away without eye contact. I was so scared, I was a rookie. He be like, ” Don’t you f*ckin talk to me when I’m talking to my mom.”
Affectionate nicknames and the occasional harsh word were just part of the package with Moss. When he wasn’t teasing, he was teaching, and Edelman soaked it all in: how to track the ball, refine his routes, and master the nuances of playing receiver. For a rookie fighting to carve out a spot in the NFL, that knowledge was gold.
Julian Edelman took those lessons, worked relentlessly, and transformed himself from a special-teams utility player into Brady’s go-to weapon. His persistence and perseverance paid off. Not only did he build a long NFL career, but he also won three Super Bowls and even earned a Super Bowl MVP.
