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When Julian Edelman arrived in New England in 2009, he was a seventh-round draft pick who had an uphill battle just to make the list after playing quarterback in Kent State. Patriots coach Bill Belichick is amazed at how Edelman carved out a spot for him at the NFL level.
Belichick said that of all the players he coached, he could not think of anyone who improved as much as Edelman, who had to learn how to play a wide receiver and points tour and did so at a very high level. , and even played. corner when the Patriots asked him.
“Julian was one of the players who probably went further than most other players I have coached,” Belichick said. ‘His development from a quarterback at the university to a receiver, scorer and even a defensive player, all positions he never played. Performing in these difficult positions as a point guard and receiver for a number of years is quite an achievement, especially if he did not do those things at university, or was not trained to do so. His toughness, his competitiveness, his playing ability were a big part of the backbone of our team. I have a lot of respect for Julian, what he has achieved in his career, how hard he has worked to achieve it, and I really appreciate everything he has done for me personally and our organization. ”
Edelman announced his retirement this week after a 12-year NFL career, all in New England.