Julian Edelman announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday and ended a great career with the New England Patriots, which included three Super Bowl rings.
The star – wide receiver’s decision to step down from the sport immediately sparked a debate over whether he should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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The Patriots selected Edelman from Kent State in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft. He was transformed from a quarter into a wide receiver. He helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls and made a big catch in Super Bowl LI to help New England come back 28-3 to beat the Atlanta Falcons.
He ended his career with 620 catches for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was a very good wide receiver and was an integral part of Tom Brady and the Patriots’ success in the regular season and the playoffs. However, he was never selected to a Pro Bowl and also never a first-team All-Pro selection. He won the Super Bowl LIII MVP when the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.
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He finished his career 156th in receiving yard, 75th in catches and in the top 300 of the starting heads. He finished second in playoffs with 118 catches, second in receiving yard with 1142 yards and finished for 46th place with five touchdowns.
Even with the statistical awards, Edelman is considered by some to be a Hall of Famer. A debate on social media ensued.
Edelman calls his career with the Patriots the “best 12 years of my life.”
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“Nothing in my career has ever come easy, nor will it come as a surprise,” Edelman said. “I always said I would go until the wheels came loose and finally fell. Due to an injury last year, I would make my official announcement about my retirement from football. It was a hard decision, but right decision for me. and my family. And I’m honored and so proud to be a Patriot. “