It appears that Julian Edelman’s outstanding NFL career is coming to an end.
On Monday, the Patriots terminated Edelman’s contract with a failed physical designation. According to ESPN, it is likely that Edelman will retire. The 34-year-old has been dealing with a knee issue for over a year. That injury limited him to six games in 2020 and it looks like the issue will end his phenomenal career.
Drafted in the seventh round in 2009, as a quarterback from Kent State, Edelman developed into a No. receiver and dynamic punt returner in Foxboro. He’ll leave the Patriots having won three Super Bowls (XLIX, LI, LIII) and a Super Bowl MVP (LII). Edelman caught 620 passes for 6,822 receiving yards and 36 receiving touchdowns in his career. He also threw a passing touchdown and returned four punts for scores. His next stop will undoubtedly be in the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Edelman never made a Pro Bowl (he was an alternate in 2014), but his biggest mark came in the playoffs where he put together one of the best receiver resumes in NFL postseason history.
Edelman’s career ends with him ranking second in postseason receiving yards (1,442) and receptions (118). The only receiver to have more postseason receptions is Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Edelman was the leading receiver for all three of the Patriots Super Bowl wins. He finished with 10 catches for 141 yards against the Los Angeles Rams to earn MVP honors in Super Bowl LIII. His eight total punt returns in the Super Bowl are also the most in NFL history.
Edelman also made one of the best catches in NFL history with his grab in Super Bowl LI. He snagged the deflected ball inches before it hit the ground with 2:23 to go in regulation. That highlight was a big part of the Patriots historic comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons. Another Edelman playoff highlight was when he hit Danny Amendola for a 51-yard touchdown pass in the Patriots Divisional round win over Baltimore in 2014.
Success didn’t come instantly for Edelman. He played behind Wes Welker for the bulk of his first four NFL seasons. When Welker suffered a knee injury in 2009, Edelman caught 37 passes for 359 yards as a rookie. He caught just seven passes in 2010, four in 2011 and then 21 passes for 235 yards in 2012. Edelman was used more as a punt returner during those years. He even played defense, playing cornerback during the 2011 season. Edelman finished with 18 tackles, one forced fumble and two quarterback hits as a corner.
Edelman nearly left the Patriots during the 2013 offseason. Coming off a 2021 campaign, which saw him play in nine games due to a hand injury, the receiver had little free agent interest. His only visit that offseason was to the Giants. The Pats ended up re-signing Edelman to a one-year deal. It turned out to be a steal as Edelman finished with a career-high 105 catches for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns during the 2013 season.
Edelman finishes his career with three 1,000-yard seasons. He also caught 98 passes for 1,106 yards in 2016 and then at age 33, caught 100 passes for a career-high 1,117 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
Edelman also served a four-game suspension in 2018 for violating the NFL’s policy against using performance-enhancing drugs.
Edelman dealt with a series of injuries – a broken foot limited him to nine games in 2015 and a torn ACL cost him the 2017 season – but no one ever questioned his toughness. That was on display last season. Edelman was limited in every practice for six weeks due to a painful knee injury. In six games, he finished with 21 catches for 315 yards before undergoing surgery and landing on the injured reserve. Although the surgery didn’t fix the issues, Edelman still attempted to come off the IR, practicing with the Patriots late in the season before the team shut him down.
Edelman had been rehabbing this offseason, but the problem persisted, which is why the Patriots terminated his contract with a failed physical designation. Edelman was originally on the books for $6.1 million toward the Patriots salary cap in 2021. By releasing him, the Pats will be hit with about $2.66 million in dead money and they'll save around $2.657 million in cap space.
Without Edelman, the Pats have Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and N’Keal Harry as their leading returning wide receivers.
