ATLANTA _ Julian Edelman began the season serving a PED suspension, and ended with him being named the Super Bowl MVP.
Edelman had a spectacular performance in the Patriots' 13-3 victory over the Rams on Sunday night in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards to help lead the Patriots to their sixth Super Bowl title. Edelman has been a part of three of them.
The quarterback-turned-receiver already was just the second player in NFL history with more than 100 playoff catches, joining Jerry Rice, one of the greatest receivers ever.
Now Edelman, a seventh-round pick out of Kent State, adds a Super Bowl MVP to a career that he never imagined would go this way.
He's the first wide receiver to win the MVP since the Steelers' Santonio Holmes in 2009.
The 5-foot-10 Edelman detailed this week what a crazy year it has been for him. But it also couldn't have ended any better.
"I'm mentally and physically pooped. I'm so proud of our guys. Crazy game, crazy year," Edelman said.
In the lead up to the game, Edelman said being back in the Super Bowl "means the world." He was unable to play in last year's 41-33 loss to the Eagles after tearing his ACL in the preseason. He couldn't play the first four games this season because of the suspension.
It was definitely a black eye on Edelman's resume, but in the end, the extra time off probably helped in his recovery.
Tom Brady said you usually see some rust from a player returning from a torn ACL. But Edelman showed little. He came back strong and had a productive 12-game regular season. He was even better in playoffs.
Edelman totaled 16 receptions and 247 yards entering the Super Bowl. He made some huge third-down catches in the AFC Championship on the game-winning drive in overtime to beat the Chiefs.
But Edelman saved his best for last. He had the most catches of the season, and the second-most yards.
Brady's favorite target had two catches for 31 yards on New England's first scoring drive that ended with a Stephen Gostkowski field goal. He also had a 13-yard catch on the Patriots' only touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
