Julian Edelman

Three-time Super Bowl winner and Super Bowl LIII MVP, Edelman ranks third all-time in postseason receiving yards and receptions.

Julian Francis Edelman (born May 22, 1986) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes as a quarterback and was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Patriots, where he became a return specialist and wide receiver. Edelman became a primary offensive starter in 2013 and was a staple of the Patriots' receiving corps until his retirement after the 2020 season.

Quick Facts

Position: Wide receiver
Born: 22 May 1986
Birthplace: Redwood City, California, U.S.
High school: Woodside (Woodside, California)
College: San Mateo (2005), Kent State (2006–2008)
Draft year: 2009
Draft round: 7
Draft pick: 232

Lore & Background

Edelman was born in Redwood City, California, to Angela 'Angie' (née Gole) and Frank Edelman, a mechanic who owns A-1 Auto Tech. He has two siblings, Jason and Nicole. Edelman was raised as a Christian but has experienced what he described as a 'Jewish awakening.' In an NFL Network interview in December 2013, Edelman said that he was Jewish and celebrated Hanukkah. His mother was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, to German parents who had lived in Belgium. Edelman played varsity football and baseball at Woodside High School in Woodside, California. He was extremely small as a freshman, weighing under before his growth spurt. Edelman was the quarterback for his high-school team, and as a senior, he led the Wildcats to a 13–0 record in 2004. In high school, Edelman threw for 2,237 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushed for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Reader's Guide

Edelman spent a year attending the College of San Mateo, where he threw for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for a school-record 1,253 yards and 17 touchdowns. He then transferred to Kent State University, where he majored in business management. At Kent State, Edelman was a three-year starter at quarterback. As a senior, he was the Golden Flashes' leading passer, completing 153-of-275 passes for 1,820 yards, 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. Edelman's total offense broke Joshua Cribbs's single-season school record, which was set in 2003. He was not invited to the 2009 NFL Combine. At his March 12 Pro Day, Edelman ran the short shuttle in 3.92 seconds; the fastest time at the Combine that year was 3.96 seconds.

The New England Patriots selected him with the 27th pick of the seventh round (232nd overall) of the 2009 NFL draft. He signed a four-year contract on July 16, 2009, that included a $48,700 signing bonus. Edelman finished the regular season with 37 receptions for 359 yards and a touchdown. He also made six punt returns as well as 11 kickoff returns, gaining 304 yards in all on 17 returns.

In the Patriots' Wild Card Round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Edelman caught six passes from Brady for 44 yards, including both of the Patriots' touchdowns. He 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 season.

Did You Know?

Edelman set a franchise record by averaging 15.3 yards per punt return in 2010, second in the league after Devin Hester.
He returned a punt 94 yards for a touchdown in Week 17 of the 2010 season, the longest punt return in Patriots franchise history.