On Monday, April 12th, 2021 one of the New England Patriots’ all – time great wide receivers, Julian Edelman, has publicly announced his retirement from playing football in the National Football League after his illustrious 12 – year professional football career. Edelman spent his entire career in the NFL with the New England Patriots as he was a star wide receiver for the Patriots from 2009 to 2020.

For every great player in the National Football League there comes a time in their career when they must hang up their cleats and announce their retirement from playing the game that they dearly love. Now is that time for the New England Patriots’ all – time great wide receiver in Edelman. Although he may not have the qualifying resume to become a Hall of Fame NFL player, he definitely was an outstanding star in the league for quite some time.

He was a 3 – time Super Bowl champion, and the Super Bowl LIII MVP. His clutch contributions to the New England Patriots during the NFL postseason where not only fun and exciting to watch, but they will always be remembered. At the time of his retirement Edelman ranks second in the history of the NFL in postseason receptions with 118. Of course, the leader of that category is and will most likely be for a very long time the amazing Jerry Rice who pulled in an unbelievable 151 NFL postseason receptions.

Julian’s clutch play in the NFL playoffs is clearly demonstrated in his six postseason games with at least 100 receiving yards, tied with only the NFL’s all – time great wide receiver, Michael Irvin, for second of all time, and only behind once again Jerry Rice who holds the top spot with eight postseason games.

“Julian Edelman is one of the great success stories in our franchise’s history. There aren’t many players who earn an NFL roster spot at a position they have never played before. Julian not only did that as a seventh-round draft selection, but he is retiring with the second-most career receptions in franchise history and as a three-time Super Bowl Champion, including his last as Super Bowl MVP. No one was more committed to his craft and honing his skills than Jules. His explosiveness off the line, quickness in his cuts and elusiveness after the catch made him one of the hardest players to defend throughout his career,” says the New England Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft in a recent media statement release.

Football Background

Edelman was born in the San Francisco Bay Area surrounding suburb of Redwood City, California. Julian attended Woodside High School in Woodside, CA where he played and excelled in varsity football as well as baseball.

Following high school Edelman attended the College of San Mateo for just one year. While at the College of San Mateo he threw for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns, rushed for a school – record 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns. Prior to his sophomore year of college Julian transferred to Kent State University, where he majored in business management and more importantly played college football for the Golden Flashes football team.

Julian was a three – year starting quarterback at Kent State University. During his senior year he was the Golden Flashes’ leading passer as he completing 56% of his passes (153 of 275 passes) for 1,820 yards, as well as throwing 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Edelman was surprisingly also their leading rusher as he gained 1,370 yards on 215 rush attempts (average of 6.4 yards per carry) and scoring 13 rushing touchdowns. His total offense broke Joshua Cribbs’s single – season school college football record that Cribb’s set back in 2003.

Professional Football Career in the NFL

 The New England Patriots conducted private workouts with Julian Edelman prior to the 2009 NFL Draft, and then followed through by selecting Edelman with the 232nd overall draft pick which was the 27th pick of the seventh round. The New England Patriots decided to take Julian ahead of the Michigan State product, Brian Hoyer, that played a more traditional quarterback role and style. Hoyer, who later joined the New England Patriots through free agency.

Several respected football analysts suggested that the New England Patriots may have selected Edelman for his potential in the increasingly more popular Wildcat formation in the National Football League. On July 16, 2009, Edelman signed a four – year $1,798,700 contract with the Patriots that included a signing bonus of $48,700. Julian eventually stated that he realized that he lacked the ability to make an NFL roster as a starting quarterback which motivated the incredible athlete to prepare himself to play at other positions than quarterback prior to the 2009 NFL Draft.

Sure enough, the New England Patriots noticed Julian’s raw athletic ability as well as versatility, and New England found a spot for him in various roles for the Patriots offensive attack such as wide receiver, kick return specialist, and even occasionally at quarterback or in the backfield somehow involved mostly in sneaky “Patriots’ way” trick – play scenarios. Throughout his illustrious career playing professional football in the NFL Edelman has accumulated 6,822 receiving yards in 137 games as he snagged 6202 career receptions off of 941 targets most often from his buddy Tom Brady. He has accounted for 36 receiving touchdowns as well as averaging 11.0 yards per catch.

Julian is responsible for all sorts of accomplishments and records in the book of the New England Patriots’ Franchise History. Many football analysts are currently debating whether Julian Edelman should or should not be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame located in Canton, Ohio. Only time will tell, but either way he will always be remembered as one of the greatest clutch NFL postseason wide receivers if not players of all – time.

Edelman’s Football Career Achievements, Honors, and Awards

  • 3 Time Super Bowl Champion (XLIX, LI, LIII)
  • Super Bowl LIII MVP
  • New England Patriots 2010’s All – Decade Team
  • Second – Team All – MAC (2006)

Odds to Win Super Bowl LVI 

According to Intertops sportsbook these are the odds to win Super Bowl LVI as of Wednesday, April 14th, 2021. Currently the New England Patriots have the 18th highest odds to win the upcoming Super Bowl LVI. I would have thought they would be much lower than that, but with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots lurking in the weak AFC East division of the National Football League you never know.

Team                                                   Odds

Kansas City Chiefs                             +450

Tampa Bay Buccaneers                      +700

Green Bay Packers                             +1000

Buffalo Bills                                       +1100

Los Angeles Rams                              +1200

San Francisco 49ers                            +1400

Baltimore Ravens                               +1800

Indianapolis Colts                               +2000

New Orleans Saints                            +2200

Cleveland Browns                              +2200

Seattle Seahawks                                +2500

Miami Dolphins                                  +2500

New England Patriots                 +2800

Los Angeles Chargers                        +2800

Dallas Cowboys                                  +2800

Tennessee Titans                                +2800

Pittsburgh Steelers                              +3300

Arizona Cardinals                               +3300

Chicago Bears                                     +4000

Minnesota Vikings                             +5000

Carolina Panthers                               +5000

Atlanta Falcons                                   +6600

New York Giants                                +6600

Denver Broncos                                  +6600

Las Vegas Raiders                              +6600

Washington Football Team                +6600

Philadelphia Eagles                            +8000

New York Jets                                    +8000

Jacksonville Jaguars                           +10000

Cincinnati Bengals                             +10000

Houston Texans                                  +15000

Detroit Lions                                       +15000