Tom Brady and Julian Edelman were more than just teammates for more than ten years. They were co-conspirators in an AFC-tormenting dynasty. During 127 games between 2009 and 2019, a telepathic relationship was formed that transformed chaos into clutch. However, Edelman’s influence extended much beyond serving as Brady’s safety net. Edelman changed the Patriots’ record books after being selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Kent State. 620 receptions, the second-most in the franchise’s history. Receiving yards: 6,822 (4th). Plus a franchise-best 413 rushing yards by a wide receiver with 36 touchdowns (9th).
Yes, Brady indeed had the arm. But Edelman? He was the heart. Beyond the post-game confetti and the playbook, there was a fraternity that developed in Foxborough. Patriots fans witnessed the YAC magic, the toe-taps, and the third-down conversions (Edelman had 118 postseason catches, second only to Jerry Rice). But they missed the silent warm-ups, the motivational speeches, and the torch-lit belief that was passed from the GOAT to a seventh-round college quarterback who later became a slot assassin.
Years after retiring, Edelman is finally allowing fans to enter that sacred area. It begins with a compliment from Brady. A moment of approval from the greatest of all time. Julian Edelman revealed the most significant thing Tom Brady ever said to him on the Dudes on Dudes podcast—Edelman described a 2017 pregame incident that altered everything in a video that the podcast posted with the tagline, “Jules shares the coolest thing Tom ever told him .” He says, “We just won our second Super Bowl and we’re warming up. We were just in sync before I got hurt. And he goes, ‘Man. You could be like a little Messi out here. You keep on ballin’.’”
Tom Brady’s comparison of Edelman to Lionel Messi was more than a passing remark; it was a quarterback’s attempt to read his receiver’s soul. It was the realisation that he had “made it” for Edelman. In football terms, it’s still Brady being ‘a hype man’ in the most inspiring way. “That was like the coolest thing he ever said to me… like in the football world. He’s pumping my tyres. He knew how to get the best out of his guys.”
There was more to their relationship than routes and outcomes. Their bond was similar to “a relationship or a marriage where you grew apart but still love each other,” as Edelman put it. Brady’s exit to Tampa Bay and Edelman’s retirement in 2021 due to chronic knee injuries didn’t weaken their bond—it only made it legendary.
Julian Edelman relives the most grit-soaked game of his Patriots career
The Ravens were the Patriots’ shadow monster, not just any postseason opponent. They had dashed Brady’s hopes of making the playoffs twice in six years. And it appeared that they were going to do it again on January 10, 2015. Edelman reposted a reel from that game on his Instagram with an emotional caption, “Wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days when you’re actually in them.”
Fans were transported in an instant. Back to the play, back to the cold, back to the comeback. New England lost twice by 14 points. And twice, they used surgical rage to erase the deficit. In the first quarter, Baltimore had a 14–0 lead. To tie it, New England roared back. The Ravens then struck again, winning the third quarter 28–14. Brady answered by throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski. After that, it was all mental combat, and the Patriots won 35–31 thanks to a late field goal. And a Ravens team that had always owned January in Foxborough was left stunned.
That game wasn’t just a victory for Edelman. It was a legacy statement. Eleven years later, he recalled it because of the spirit. The grit. The thrill of defeating the same squad twice in four quarters. Those evenings were more than just football games for players like Edelman. They served as evidence. Evidence that any screenplay, even one written by the Ravens, might be changed with faith, cooperation, and a little GOAT magic.
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