Julian Edelman on Drake Maye, the Patriots & His Favorite Super Bowl Catch
Julian Edelman sits down with Athlon Sports to debate Drake Maye, the New England Patriots, the 2026 NFL season, his favourite Super Bowl catch and his daring prediction for the NFL.
Video Transcript
Bold predictions for the NFL in 2026.
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Bold predictions.
Let’s get some, let’s offer you some, what is that this, clickbait stuff?
This is Craig Ellenport with Athlon Sports, and we’re right here with New England Patriots legend, Super Bowl LIII MVP, Julian Edelman.
Julian, how are you at the moment?
I’m doing properly, Craig.
How are you?
Doing, doing superb.
I’ve, I’ve received my Julian Edellbrew proper right here with me, so- That’s a hell of a beer proper there, buddy.
Tell me your expectations for the Patriots this season.
I, I anticipate them to be a very good soccer workforce.
They had some issues in the low season so far as what they wanted to handle for his or her workforce, trying again on the, the earlier 12 months and the way issues went in the playoffs.
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You know, they, they, they, they fortified the offensive line by means of commerce and draft with Lomu and, and, Barrett Tucker, the Jet.
You know, they carry in a famous person weapon like A.J.
Brown.
Another 12 months for Drake May in the identical system with Josh McDaniels, so I, I anticipate to see identical to a, a continuing little grade of enchancment for this entire workforce, and I, I really feel like they’re gonna compound of la- off of final 12 months, and, and I feel they’re gonna be a very good soccer workforce.
I, I am unable to put like a quantity.
I do not know w- what they’re gonna do, however you already know, if, in the event that they’re wholesome, simply because I like, I like the mentality and I like the thoughts of, of Drake May.
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He, he looks as if a child that is hungry to study.
You know, he is, he is a bit brother, out of 5 boys or 4 boys, no matter it’s.
He, he is aware of the best way to be part of a workforce.
He’s received a superb little moxie to himself.
He’s received a swagger, and I And often groups go to how their leaders go and, and Brabel being an alpha man, you already know they’re , you already know, they’re gonna, they’re gonna be a tricky workforce, however you gotta, you at all times gotta take a look at that quarterback, too, as a result of that is the chief of the workforce.
And you already know, I, I like his mojo.
Yeah, yeah, he had a, clearly coming off a fantastic sophomore season and the way would you’re feeling if, in case you had been one in every of these present Patriots, how would you’re feeling about all you are listening to this low season is what a simple schedule that they had final 12 months?
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Of course they did properly.
If I used to be one in every of these Patriots, then I in all probability would not be listening to the outdoors noise as a result of I’d be targeted on what’s on my plate proper now, you already know?
The entire Patriot approach factor, ignore outdoors noise, do not consider the hype, converse for your self, put the workforce first, all these kinds of issues.
I’d simply actually attempt to work on what do I gotta do pre-season, earlier than the season begins, to get myself the greatest I can probably be in order that we are able to exit and attempt to win video games.
So you already know, if y- compartmentalizing issues is part of being knowledgeable athlete, whe- whether or not it is distraction, whether or not it is media, whether or not it is this, whether or not it is that.
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You know, everybody’s gotta cope with it, so you already know, put the blinders on, put the stuff in the drawer, let’s go win some video games, okay?
That’s what I’d be saying.
So now, not, not in case you had been one in every of these Patriots, however now that you’re a member of the media, what do you consider the distinction between final 12 months’s schedule and this 12 months’s schedule?
Well, I imply, the schedule’s quite a bit more durable this 12 months, however I, regardless, it is the National Football League, you already know?
I’m, I’m sorry to say, there is not any like Kent States on the schedule.
You know, I do know there’s the Dolphins and the Jets, however these are nonetheless professional soccer groups that, you already know, have plenty of good soccer gamers, particularly, you already know, you take a look at the Jets.
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They , they have been drafting actual excessive for a very long time, so you already know, you begin increase gamers and, you already know, Aaron Glenn getting a bit bit extra of his gamers.
You know, the Miami Dolphins, I, I do know they’re, we do not know what to anticipate with them, however I, I, I anticipate them to proceed to get, to enhance, you already know?
And the groups that I had been on, that I used to be on, you already know, performed the hardest schedule yearly, as a result of while you win, that is what occurs.
So you already know, it, it is an honor to have a tricky schedule.
That’s what I’d be pondering.
It’s actually a golden age for broad receivers in the NFL.
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So many good ones, and I imply, you bought Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson at the prime, however after these two guys, who, who’re like the three that you just love to observe the most?
I imply, Smith and Jigba, Offensive Player of the Year, he is fairly dang good.
Puka Nacua received like 190 catches final 12 months.
This man simply is a manufacturing machine.
He’s a giant, sturdy receiver, sensible, performs in plenty of spots.
I, I actually, I actually love Amon-Ra St. Brown.
I feel he is up in there as properly.
He’s a, he is a man that, he is a really versatile man that performs in plenty of spots.
Jackson Smith and Jigba, I imply, his route operating skill and, and for his, his body, he is elite, ‘trigger he is not like an enormous man, however he makes contested catches 50/50.
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You know, he, he catches these 50/50 balls and he, you already know, everybody’s been speaking about his pad stage.
He, he by no means drops his pad stage.
You know, Tom talked about that on his broadcast.
So you already know, he, he is a very good route runner.
Puka, sturdy, huge, sturdy arms, quicker than what you suppose, faster than what you suppose, larger than what you suppose.
You know, like I, he is a, he is a beast.
And I appreciated Luther Burton’s recreation, however I feel he is banged up.
I believed he was a superb younger receiver.
Amika Buka, I feel he is a superb receiver.
I anticipate a giant leap.
They want him to have a giant leap this 12 months, though he had a very nice 12 months final 12 months.
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Like you stated, it, it is a renaissance for, for these receivers, you already know?
And, a- and I personally suppose it is due to, you already know, the info age.
These guys have been enjoying in seven on seven tournaments- Yes practising releases.
You know, again in my day, we used to love hear folklore of what Jerry Rice did for his coaching or Randy, you already know, Randy Moss.
Now you’ll be able to simply hop on a dude’s TikTok or Instagram and, and you bought these little health club rats like all these guys are, and so they apply these releases, they practices, apply their routes, and so they do ’em One million instances and, and the recreation’s simply gotten higher, and these guys are actually good.
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Nate, Nate Burleson talked to Athlon Sports about this as properly, and he, the seven-on-seven he m- he made a degree of, which was actually essential, that, that it’s- Yeah so prevalent now lately.
That and simply the quantity of teaching you can get for specialization.
Like they did not have any of that when, once I was popping out.
I used to be studying with Charlie Fry, who’s a quarterback.
You know what I imply?
He was educating me the best way to run routes.
Yeah.
Now you’ll be able to go rent a dude who, you already know, in all probability performed division one, is aware of all the, the, the methods.
And, and if in case you have it and also you apply it, guys are gonna develop into little machines, and that is what, what, that is what these guys are, particularly with the athleticism, you already know?
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And you had been busy enjoying quarterback a bit bit too, so you already know.
There’s that.
There’s that.
There’s that too.
Which one is extra memorable to you all time, th- the wonderful catch from Super Bowl LI or the Super Bowl MVP honor of LIII?
I feel that LIII was fairly loopy.
Just how the season began, coming off an harm.
I used to be at an actual low spot in my life.
Just the psychological toughness that, you already know, I, I did not suppose I had to have the ability to proceed to develop and, and have the, the finish of the season and that season off of the season earlier than.
Like that, that was so, that is a proud second, simply that.
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That, that catch in, in LI was superior, however my f- my favourite catch in the Super Bowl was in all probability the third and, like, 18 towards Legion of Boom when Kam Chancellor hit me.
Like that, I believed that was a cool catch as a result of that is, that was like a play me and my dad used to, like, my dad used to throw me balls in the avenue and, once I was like actual younger, earlier than I used to be even enjoying.
And he’d at all times say, like, “Give me a down and in.”
And I’d go, and I’d run a down and in, and he’d hit me.
And I’d catch it, and he says, “Can you make the catch when Ronnie Lott hits you?”
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And I’d at all times say, “Yeah, I can.”
And like, Kam Chancellor, man, that man’s a beast.
No.
He lit me up.
And to have the ability to make that catch and proceed and that a part of the recreation, I used to be like, that is like type of a microcosm of my life, I really feel, that, that play.
It all began in Oliver Street.
Hit the white card, take it in, let’s go.
Any different daring predictions for the NFL in 2026?
Bold predictions.
Let’s get some, let’s offer you some, what is that this, clickbait stuff.
Bold prediction, there’s gonna be a brand new Super Bowl winner.
That’s my daring prediction.
Not in the prediction enterprise, man.
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That’s okay.
But you will not, then you do not wanna inform me who that new- No, I will not say who.
Oh.
‘Cause in case you’re an actual soccer man, then you already know you already know nothing.
What goes on in the constructing, you’ll be able to’t name the video games.
You do not know what occurred to one in every of the participant’s wives that received mad at him or the child’s sick.
Like I do not know all that stuff, so why am I gonna I am unable to put a prediction on the market until, until I do know the prediction.
Tell me, inform me about it.
How, how did this all occur with Sam Adams?
You know, we partnered up, and so they, they wished to, incorporate some Boston legends.
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And in order that they one way or the other referred to as my, my title, and I, I picked proper up.
And, you already know, it was a- absolute type of a dream as a result of I bear in mind, you already know, being a younger soccer participant from California popping out right here and, like, seeing the cobblestone streets and all the historical past.
And everybody knew Sam Adams was the Boston beer.
And now, you already know, fast-forward to fifteen, 20 years later, to be related to this metropolis due to the successful of the workforce that I used to be on, it has been an absolute honor, and it is, it has been actually cool.
Did, did you may have a lot say in, the, the style and the way this went?
Oh, yeah.
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I used to be, I used to be mainly on the market.
I used to be in the, the chemistry place the place, you already know, you, you make it.
A number of hops, barley.
I stated I need a lager.
Give me one thing a bit gritty, little fall time beer.
A little bit, give me a bit one thing proper there.
I like a bit further alcohol, so I went with the lager.
You know, extra Americano.
Leave the white ale, the pale ale to the different guys.
You know, Derek White, Crochet.
Big Z Pilsner, I will not say something dangerous about that as a result of he may beat me up.
But, yeah, you already know, I just about made this beer on my very own.
I did see the alcohol content material in your beer is stronger than these different guys.
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I imply, come on, Craig.
Yeah.
So, in order that, that brings me to the subsequent level right here.
Do you already know you are not the solely Super Bowl MVP together with his personal beer?
Who’s the different Super Bowl MVP with their very own beer?
Troy Aikman has a light-weight beer referred to as Eight.
Eight?
Eight, quantity eight.
Yeah, however you have heard of Samuel Adams.
I ain’t by no means heard of that one.
Well, that is what I used to be gonna say.
You have to do not forget that, buddy.
I, I- I’m joking.
I’m simply joking, Troy.
I’m simply joking, Troy.
Don’t beat me up both.
Well, it w- Troy Aikman, he, I seen him.
He, he is been figuring out.
You wa- have you ever seen Troy Aikman?
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Yeah, yeah.
He’s fairly match.
He is.
He, he is a marathon man too.
But, however you inform me.
I have not had his beer both.
I’ve had yours, and it is nice.
W- y- inform, inform Troy who’s received the higher beer.
I, I imply, I have not had Troy’s beer, in fact.
I’m, I’m a straight lager man.
I do not even know what sort of beer that’s, however Troy’s, in fact.
That’s proper.
We’ll, we’ll see if we are able to get a style take a look at going one in every of lately.
Yeah, we’re gonna must get one.
Well, Julian, I admire the time.
Enjoy tonight.
And, we’ll see how the season goes.
Football’s again, child.
Excited.
All proper, Julian Edelman.
Go get, go get you.
Our metropolis, our beer, child.