Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman

refer to caption

Edelman with the New England Patriots
No. 11 New England Patriots
Position: Wide receiver, return specialist
Personal information
Date of birth: (1986-05-22) May 22, 1986
Place of birth: Redwood City, California
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight: 200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school: Woodside (CA)
College: Kent State
NFL Draft: 2009 / Round: 7 / Pick: 232
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 13, 2016
Receptions: 399
Receiving yards: 4,152
Receiving touchdowns: 23
Total return yards: 2,275
Return touchdowns: 4
Player stats at NFL.com

Julian Francis Edelman (born May 22, 1986) is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kent State and the College of San Mateo as a quarterback, and was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He won Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots as a starter.

Edelman is notable for his charismatic personality, for having played both wide receiver and cornerback in 2011, and for his punt returns. He holds the Patriots franchise record for longest punt return and the most punts returned for touchdowns; and, as of the start of the 2013 NFL season, the second highest career punt return average among active players, behind Devin Hester.

Early years

Edelman was born in Redwood City, California, the son of Angela (née Gole) and Frank Edelman, a small businessman.[1][2][3] According to the Patriots’ media office, Julian was raised as a Christian and his ancestry includes Greek, English, Scottish, Irish, Ashkenazi Jewish, and German.[4] His father is part Jewish but his mother is not.[5][6] During an NFL Network interview in December 2013, Edelman stated that he identifies as Jewish and that he celebrates Hanukkah, and he wore an Israeli-American flag pin on his hat during the November 2014 Denver Broncos game at Gillette Stadium.[7][8] He was the quarterback for Woodside High School in Woodside, California. As a senior in 2004, he led the Wildcats to a 13–0 record. During his high school career, Edelman had 2,237 yards and 29 touchdowns passing, in addition to 964 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing.

College

After high school, Edelman spent a year at the College of San Mateo where he threw for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns, rushed for a school-record 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns[9] before transferring to Kent State University, where he majored in business management. At Kent State, Edelman was a three-year starter at quarterback. His senior year, Edelman was the Golden Flashes' leading passer, completing 56% of his passes (153 of 275 passes for 1,820 yards), throwing 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was also their leading rusher, gaining 1,370 yards on 215 attempts (an average of 6.4 yards per carry) and scoring 13 touchdowns. His total offense broke Joshua Cribbs's single-season school record, set in 2003.[10][11]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP
5 ft 10 in 195 lb 4.52 s 1.52 s 2.58 s 3.92 s 6.62 s 36 1⁄2 in 10 ft 3 in 14 reps
All values from Kent State Pro Day[12]

Edelman was not invited to the 2009 NFL Combine. At his March 12 pro day, he ran the short shuttle in 3.91 seconds;[13] the fastest time at the combine that year was 3.96 seconds.[14] The New England Patriots, who had conducted private workouts with Edelman before the 2009 NFL Draft, selected him with the 27th pick of the seventh round (232nd overall), ahead of Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer, who joined the Patriots as a free agent. Several analysts suggested that the Patriots may have selected Edelman for his potential in a Wildcat formation.[15][16] On July 16, 2009, Edelman signed a four-year contract with the Patriots that included a $48,700 signing bonus.[17]

2009: Rookie year

Edelman scored his first professional points on August 13, 2009, in a pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles, returning a punt 75 yards for a touchdown, and made the team over former Eagles wide receiver Greg Lewis, for whom the Patriots had given up a fifth-round draft pick in 2009.

Edelman missed the Patriots' Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills with an ankle injury, but was activated for and made his first career start in the Patriots' 9–16 loss in Week 2 against the New York Jets, which was also the first game Wes Welker had missed since becoming a Patriot in 2007. Edelman led all receivers with eight receptions for 98 yards, and added 38 yards on two kickoff returns and 2 yards on a punt return, for a total of 138 all-purpose yards.

Edelman broke his arm in the Patriots' 59–0 rout of the Tennessee Titans, and did not accompany the Patriots on their trip to London to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At the time of his injury, Edelman was leading all rookies with 21 receptions. He returned with the Patriots' Week 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts, where he scored his first official NFL touchdown on a 9-yard reception from Brady.

When Welker was sidelined for the season after tearing his ACL and MCL against the Houston Texans, Edelman was once again called on to fill Welker's role; Edelman caught 10 of the 15 passes thrown to him for 103 yards, the first 100-yard game of his NFL career. He finished the regular season with 37 receptions for 359 yards and one touchdown. He also made 6 punt returns as well as 11 kickoff returns combining 304 yards in all on 17 returns.

In the Patriots' Wild Card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Edelman caught six passes from Brady for 44 yards, including both of the Patriots' touchdowns. Edelman became the first rookie to score two receiving touchdowns in one postseason game since David Sloan did so for the Detroit Lions in the 1995–96 season.

2010

In the 2010 season, Edelman saw a decrease in playing time; through 15 games, having just four receptions for 14 yards. In the Week 17 game against the Miami Dolphins, with Welker, Deion Branch, and Aaron Hernandez inactive, Edelman capitalized with three receptions for a total of 72 yards, and also with a 94-yard punt return touchdown. It was the first punt return touchdown by a Patriot since Troy Brown returned one against the Carolina Panthers in the Week 17 finale of the 2001 season, and the longest punt return in Patriots franchise history, eclipsing an 89-yard return by Mike Haynes in 1976.[18] Edelman also set a franchise record by averaging 15.3 yards per return,[19] which was second in the league after the Bears' Devin Hester.[20] For the 2010 season, Edelman played in 15 games with 7 receptions for 86 yards and 321 return yards on 21 punt return opportunities.

2011

During the 2011 season, Edelman was used primarily as a kick and punt returner. During the Patriots' Week 10 game against the New York Jets, because of injuries to the Patriots' secondary, he was pressed into service as a defensive back during the fourth quarter; he earned his first tackle on defense by stopping running back LaDainian Tomlinson on a play in which Tomlinson injured his MCL.

During the Patriots' Week 11 game on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs, he played defensive back in nickel and dime situations. He also returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, which helped him earn his first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. In Week 12 he was nominated for the NFL's "Hardest Working Man" for his Week 12 performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he made an open-field tackle on Vince Young to prevent a touchdown.[21] For the 2011 season, Edelman played 13 games with 4 receptions for 34 yards and 584 return yards on 40 kickoff-punt combined returning opportunities.

In the AFC Conference Championship Game, on January 22, 2012, against the Baltimore Ravens, Edelman played on 27 of 67 offensive snaps at wide receiver, catching one pass that converted a third down attempt, and 27 of 73 defensive snaps at cornerback, often covering the Ravens' Anquan Boldin; Edelman was credited with a forced fumble on the Ravens' final drive. The Patriots went on to win the AFC Championship but lose Super Bowl XLVI to the New York Giants.

2012

Edelman's snap count increased in the first two games of the 2012 season, including a Week 2 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which he started over Wes Welker. After suffering an injury in the Patriots' Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Edelman was inactive for the next three games. He then saw limited duty until the Patriots' record-tying Week 11 win against the Indianapolis Colts, in which he had a career day.[22] Edelman caught five passes for 58 yards and a 2-yard touchdown, picked up 47 yards on a single rushing attempt on a reverse play, and returned two punts for a total of 117 yards. The first of those punt returns was a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown, giving Edelman three punt return touchdowns, tying the Patriots franchise mark. In total, Edelman had 105 yards of total offense and 222 all-purpose yards with 2 touchdowns.

Four days later, on Thanksgiving Day, Edelman scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter of the Patriots' victory over the New York Jets, in which they tied a franchise record with 5 touchdowns and 35 points in one quarter; he recovered a Jets fumble and returned it 22 yards on kick-off return, and then caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady. Although he left early in the third quarter with a head injury, he nevertheless became the first player since the AFL-NFL merger with both a receiving touchdown and a return touchdown in consecutive games. In a game against the Miami Dolphins on December 2, Edelman broke his right foot and was placed on injured reserve. He would miss the remainder of the season.[23] Overall in 2012, Edelman played in 9 games with 21 receptions for 235 yards and 301 return yards on 20 kickoff-punt combined return opportunities.

2013

Edelman in the 2013 postseason

Edelman became a free agent after the 2012 season. He re-signed with New England on a one-year deal on April 10, 2013.[24]

In Week 1 of the 2013 NFL season, Edelman scored both of New England's touchdowns in their 23–21 win over the Buffalo Bills. He also had three punt returns for a total of 32 yards, which gave him a career total of 75 returns for 975 yards. Edelman became for the moment the NFL's all-time leader in career punt return average,with 13.0 yards per return, surpassing the 12.8-yard average of former Chicago Bear George McAfee. George McAfee.[25]

Edelman had 9 catches on 11 attempts for 110 yards and two touchdowns in a historic week 12 Patriot home comeback victory; the Patriots overcame a 24-point halftime deficit to score 31 unanswered points and the winning field goal in the closing minutes of overtime. Edelman outperformed Denver's triplet star wide receivers combined. In Week 17 of the 2013 NFL season, Edelman became the third Patriots player in team history to catch over 100 passes in a season on Sunday, Dec 29 in the Patriots' 34–20 win over the Buffalo Bills.[26] 2013 became a breakout season for Edelman as he played in all 16 games making 105 receptions for 1,056 receiving yards and 35 punt return opportunities for 374 yards.

Edelman became a free agent after the 2013 season. On March 15, 2014, he re-signed with the Patriots on a 4-year deal for $17 million.[27][28]

2014

Edelman started 14 games for the Patriots in 2014. He had 92 receptions for 972 yards, as well as 4 touchdowns.[29] In a Week 9 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Edelman returned a punt 84 yards for his fourth career return touchdown, passing Troy Brown for the most punt return touchdowns in Patriots history.[30] In a week 14 match up against the San Diego Chargers, Edelman caught a pass from Tom Brady then broke two tackles and ran for 69 yards for a touchdown, it would be the final touchdown of the game that led the New England Patriots to a 23–14 win.[31]

Edelman recorded his first NFL touchdown pass on his first-ever NFL pass attempt in the Patriots' Divisional Round playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens. After receiving a lateral pass from Brady, Edelman threw a forward pass to Danny Amendola, who scored a 51–yard touchdown to tie the game at 28–28. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, the pass was the longest touchdown pass thrown by a non-quarterback player in NFL playoff history, and makes Edelman one of six NFL players with a perfect postseason passer rating of 158.3.[32]

Against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, Edelman led all receivers in yardage with 109 yards on 9 receptions (teammate Shane Vereen had 11 receptions). His touchdown reception with 2:02 left in the fourth quarter—his only touchdown reception of the postseason—was the final go-ahead score of the game, putting the Patriots up 28–24. For the postseason as a whole, Edelman led all receivers in both receptions (26) and receiving yards (281).[33]

2015

Edelman started opening night for the Patriots vs. Steelers matchup on September 10. He led the Patriots in yards and receptions, catching 11 balls for 97 yards. In the Patriots' second game of the season against the Buffalo Bills, Edelman got 11 catches, which makes it the first time in his career he's had back-to-back games with at least 10 catches. Edelman then caught four passes on five targets for 120 yards, against the Dallas Cowboys.[34]

Against the New York Giants on November 15, Edelman suffered an injury to his fifth metatarsal on his left foot that required him to undergo foot surgery on November 16, 2015.[35] He was expected to be back on the field in six to eight weeks, in time for the playoffs, though that was contingent on the recovery process.[36] Through nine games, Edelman had racked up 61 catches for 692 yards and 7 touchdowns.[37] Edelman returned for the AFC Divisional round against the Kansas City Chiefs. Edelman had 10 catches for 100 yards to help the Patriots defeat the Chiefs 27-20 and advance the AFC Championship game for the fifth consecutive year.

2016

On September 15, 2016, Edelman was fined $26,309 for a hit on a defenseless player where he hit Deone Bucannon helmet-to-helmet.[38]

Statistics

Year Team G Rec Tgt Yds Avg Long TD FD Fumb Fumb lost
2009 NE 11 37 54 359 9.7 29 1 19 0 0
2010 NE 15 7 14 86 12.3 40 0 3 0 0
2011 NE 13 4 8 34 8.5 11 0 0 0 0
2012 NE 9 21 32 235 11.2 56 3 12 0 0
2013 NE 16 105 151 1,056 10.1 44 6 54 0 0
2014 NE 14 92 135 972 10.6 69 4 49 2 0
2015 NE 9 61 75 692 11.3 59T 7 30 1 1
Total 86 318 469 3,326 10.5 69 21 167 3 1

[39][40]

Nicknames

Edelman has been given several nicknames by both fans and teammates, including 'Incredelman,' 'Minitron', because[41] during the 2013 season, after a spike in Edelman's production, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gave him the nickname "Minitron," a play on "Megatron," the nickname for former Detroit Lions' star wide receiver Calvin Johnson.[42] He was also referred to as 'The Energizer Bunny,' given to him by cornerback Darrelle Revis, who said that Edelman "never quits."[43][44][45] Edelman himself has said his favorite given nickname is 'The Squirrel'. "Guys call me squirrel because one time on the sideline I was yelling 'Don't let me get squirrely out there.'"[46]

Stature

Although both the Kent State and Patriots websites listed Edelman as 6'0", Edelman himself has stated that he is 5'10",[47] as was measured at his Pro Day.[48] (The Patriots website changed his height to 5'10" during the 2010 preseason.) Moreover, even though Edelman is taller than Wes Welker, the similarities in their playing styles led their teammates to dub Edelman "Welker's Mini-Me."[49]

References

  1. ↑ Julian Edelman profile, patriots.com; accessed November 6, 2015.
  2. ↑ "California Birth Index, 1905-1995". Ancestry. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Julian Edelman took the 'back road' to the NFL". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  4. ↑ http://njjewishnews.com/kaplanskorner/2009/09/21/edelman-mot/
  5. ↑ "Steve Simmons' Super Bowl diary". Toronto Sun. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Edelman MOT?". New Jersey Jewish News. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ "New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman explains nicknames 'Minitron' and 'The Squirrel'". NFL.com.
  8. ↑ "In Super Bowl matchup, Pats have Israel connections covered". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  9. ↑ "NFL Bulldogs". College of San Mateo Bulldog Athletics. College of San Mateo. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
  10. ↑ "NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com". CBSSports.com.
  11. ↑ Whitmer, Michael (September 12, 2013). "Versatile Julian Edelman ready for his biggest role?". Boston Globe (online). Boston MA: The New York Times Company. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Julian Edelman". nfldraftscout.com. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  13. ↑ "National Football League: NFL Draft 2009 - Julian Edelman". nfl.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  14. ↑ "NFL Events: Combine Top Performers". nfl.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  15. ↑ Gosselin, Rick (April 27, 2009). "Non-combine players make their mark in draft". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  16. ↑ Farley, Glen (May 2, 2009). "It's QB or not QB at Pats camp". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  17. ↑ Gasper, Christopher (July 18, 2009). "Patriots beef up with Brace". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
  18. ↑ "Game Notes: Patriots vs. Dolphins". New England Patriots. January 2, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Patriots & NFL: New England Patriots". bostonherald.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  20. ↑ Glen Farley. "Secondary education continues with Patriots for versatile Edelman". The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Who went above and beyond the call of duty in Week 12?". NFL.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Julian Edelman enjoys career day in Patriots' rout – Boston.com". Archived from the original on November 28, 2012.
  23. ↑ "New England Patriots' offense by the numbers". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Source: Pats, Edelman reach 1-year deal". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Kyle Arrington comes up big twice for Patriots". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Julian Edelman's 100-Catch, 1,000-Yard Season for Patriots Came After Fighting His Way Up Depth Chart - New England Patriots - NESN.com". NESN.com.
  27. ↑ Services, ESPN.com News. "Julian Edelman Returns To Patriots." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, March 15, 2014. Web. March 15, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Report: Julian Edelman's Patriots Contract For Four Years, $17 Million." NESNcom. N.p., March 18, 2014. Web. April 15, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Julian Edelman". NFL.com.
  30. ↑ "Tom Brady, Patriots dominate Broncos". NFL.com.
  31. ↑ "Watch New England Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers [12/07/2014] - NFL.com". nfl.com.
  32. ↑ "Pro-Football-Reference.com". 2015-02-07. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  33. ↑ "Julian Edelman". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  34. ↑ "Julian Edelman". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  35. ↑ Rosenthal, Gregg (November 15, 2015). "Julian Edelman suffers broken foot, could return". NFL.com.
  36. ↑ "Rapoport: Expectation is that Edelman will be back this season". New England Patriots. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  37. ↑ Yahoo Sports
  38. ↑ Dzen, Gary. "Watch the hit the NFL is fining Julian Edelman $26,000 for". boston.com. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Julian Edelman Stats". NFL. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Julian Edelman". NFL.com.
  41. ↑ "Julian Edelman Will Not Acknowledge 'Minitron' Nickname That Tom Brady Gave Patriots' Breakout Wide Receiver - New England Patriots - NESN.com". New England Sports Network. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  42. ↑ Yates, Field (December 2, 2013). "'Minitron' Edelman is Mr. Dependable". ESPNBoston. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  43. ↑ "Darrelle Revis Gives Julian Edelman New Nickname: The Energizer Bunny". New England Sports Network. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  44. ↑ "Darrelle Revis vs. DeSean Jackson highlights Patriots-Redskins practice". Boston Globe. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  45. ↑ "It Is What It Is » From 'smashing and dashing' to 'Mona Lisa Vito,' Patriots provided plenty of memorable quotes in 2014". WEEI-FM. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  46. ↑ "Edelman scores big during reddit 'AMA'". Boston.com. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  47. ↑ Farley, Glen (August 9, 2009). "Patriots Notebook: Edelman isn't coming up short". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  48. ↑ "NFLDraftScout.com player profile: Julian Edelman". August 9, 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
  49. ↑ Gasper, Christopher (September 21, 2009). "Moss shuts down Revis's claims". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 25, 2009.

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