Julian Edelman will be present at Gillette Stadium this Sunday vs. the Saints. Though he’s not suiting up for the team, his presence will be felt this Sunday as it was for so many throughout his career in New England. The Patriots announced this week that they would be honoring the former slot receiver after only retiring from the league
this past offseason.
Although this seems quick, honoring Julian Edelman was inevitable for the Patriots anyways. Following this, what’s next for Edelman? The discussion of his career being worthy of a Hall of Fame birth is usually one way or the other. On one hand, his underwhelming career stats in terms of total yards and total touchdowns lead many to say he just doesn’t compete with who had been inducted. On the other, his impact in the biggest moments, on huge stages year after year, cannot be overlooked.
Both arguments make sense. It comes down to what you value as a fan of the game, more importantly, the values of the Hall of Fame voters. One thing that’s for sure is that Edelman’s Superbowl MVP isn’t enough, as Hines Ward got one in Pittsburgh and doesn’t have a gold jacket himself.
However, where Edelman has an argument is his sheer numbers in terms of yards and receptions in the playoffs. He’s second to Jerry Rice in playoff receptions and yards as a slot receiver. He also was a leader and an important gear in the second half of the Patriots dynasty alongside Tom Brady. His importance on such a defining team during the 2010s is a historical part in NFL history that won’t be forgotten.
In my opinion, he is a Hall of Famer. While his overall stats aren’t overwhelming in any sense, I don’t think it’s appropriate to under-rate his contributions to multiple successful teams and the iconic moments he has had that have a direct correlation to victories during the playoffs. Edelman is one of the accomplished slot receivers in league history in terms of post-season success over a long period of time, worthy of at least his appearance on a ballot.
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