Patriots star receiver Julian Edelman, who helped New England win three championships and was the MVP of Super Bowl LIII, announced his retirement in a video posted on social media Monday.
The NFL transaction statement released Monday stated that Edelman had terminated his contract for the Patriots, but moving the roster from the roster is expected to be a technique as part of his withdrawal, the source told ESPN.
“It was a tough decision, but the right decision for me and my family,” Edelman said. “And I’m honored and proud to retire a Patriot … It’s been the best 12 years of my life.”
Edelman, who turns 35 next month, was limited to six games last season due to a chronic knee injury. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Patriots and ranks second in NFL history with 118 postseason receptions, just behind Jerry Rice’s 151.
Foxboro Forever pic.twitter.com/x3SDDPJoTX
– Julian Edelman (@ Edelman11) April 12, 2021
One of Edelman’s signature plays was an unlikely dive catch in Super Bowl LI, which helped the Patriots overcome a 28-3 second deficit by half to overtake the Atlanta Falcons. Two years later, in a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, he was named MVP after adding 10 receptions for 141 yards.
“Julian Edelman is one of the great success stories in the history of our franchise,” Robert Kraft, president and CEO of Patriots, said Monday. “Not many players win a place on the NFL roster in a position they’ve never played before. As a three-time Super Bowl champion, including the last one as a Super Bowl MVP. No one was more. committed to his craft and perfecting his skills than Jules. of the toughest players to defend throughout his career. “
Edelman surpasses his second-place Patriots all-time run to receive receptions (620), just behind Wes Welker (672). He is fourth on the team’s running yard list with 6,822 yards, just behind Stanley Morgan (10,352), Rob Gronkowski (7,861) and Welker (7,459).
“Nothing in my career has ever been easy and no wonder, it won’t be easy either,” he said. “I’ve always said, ‘I’ll go until the wheels come off.’ And they’ve finally fallen. Due to an injury last year, I’ll make my official announcement of my retirement from football.”
By terminating his contract for a “physical error,” Edelman becomes eligible for injury protection provision, according to the ABC, available to all players in this situation. Edelman can raise up to $ 2 million through this benefit.
Few would have predicted his career when the Patriots selected Edelman in the seventh round of the 2009 draft: the 232nd overall. Edelman was a quarterback at Kent State, with his running skills and quick-cutting ability that caught Bill Belichick’s attention as a possible receiver / scorer.
Edelman continued to play at a high level last season, adding 179 yards in his career in a Week 2 loss to the Seahawks. But the persistent knee injury caused him to fall on the injured reserve in late October and while there was hope he could return at the end of the season, he was not healthy enough to be activated.
Due to his health, the Patriots entered the low season of 2021 without clear Edelman’s status, which helped them accept contracts with receivers Nelson Agholor (two years, $ 26 million, with $ 15 million guaranteed) and Kendrick Bourne (three years, $ 22.5 million, with $ 5.25 million guaranteed) on the first day of free agency. Edelman was also entering the final year of his contract.
Edelman’s postseason game is reflected in his six games with at least 100 yards, tied with Michael Irvin per second (all-time, Rice is first in eight).
“By any measure of what constitutes an elite career in the NFL: wins, championships and production, Julian has it all,” Belichick said in a team statement. “Few players can match Julian’s achievements, period, but given his professional career and longevity, the group is even more select. It’s historic. This is a tribute to his legendary competitiveness, mental and physical toughness and willingness to “Excellency. The day out, Julian was always the same: everything out.”
The Patriots took advantage of his quarterback skills successfully, with Edelman completing 7 of 8 passes over his career for 179 yards, with two touchdowns and a perfect 158.3-pass score (including playoffs).
Against Denver last October, Edelman joined runners-up Andy Johnson (September 6, 1981 against Baltimore) and Dick Christy (November 18, 1960 against Dallas Texans) as the Patriots’ three non-quarterbacks who have completed two passes in a party.
Throughout his career, Edelman totaled 58 running attempts over 413 yards, the fastest and most common attempts by a wide receiver in Patriots history.
In the later stages of his career, Edelman, of Redwood City, California, publicly adopted his Jewish identity, proud to become the first Jewish player to be named Super Bowl MVP.
In July 2020, he invited receiver DeSean Jackson to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, following Jackson’s anti-Semitic posts on social media. Last March, Meyers Leonard wrote an open letter to downtown Miami Heat about Leonard’s use of an anti-Semitic insult during a live video game broadcast.
ESPN lead writer Adam Schefter contributed to this report.