Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman confirmed he will not be returning to the NFL.
Edelman played 11 seasons in the league and finished his career with 620 catches for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was a major part of the New England offense throughout the course of his career and finished with a 1,000-yard season as recently as 2019.
The Kent State product battled injuries in 2020 and ended his final season with only 21 catches for 315 yards. Film sessions were a big reason why he retired, and he doesn’t plan on making a comeback.
He put the nail in the coffin of his NFL career during an appearance on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast Friday, as transcribed by Zack Cox of NESN.com.
“I’m done, boys,” said Edelman. “You can’t be two years out of the game coming in at 37 with knee braces and taped ankles thinking you’re going to go out here and compete against these young bucks. … I’ve definitely got, like, seven, eight plays a game, but… “
Knee injuries were a big reason why the wide receiver retired in 2021. Nevertheless, he will have several moments in Patriots history that will be remembered, in what was a storied career.
