FOXBORO, Mass. — Julian Edelman isn’t quite as anxious when he passes head coach Bill Belichick in the halls of Gillette Stadium, but his head still is on a swivel.
Belichick always is quizzing his New England Patriots players on minute details about their upcoming opponent. This week, the Patriots are preparing to host the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday at 6:40 p.m.
“Early in my career, it did (create anxiety),” Edelman said Thursday at Gillette Stadium. “When I see him in the hallway now, I still just kind of walk — I don’t have anxiety, but you’re always being tested with him. You could be walking down the hallway, and he’ll say, ‘Who’s the opponent, what (are) his strengths?’ — this and that.
“It does keep you on your toes, but I’ve been in and around here for a little bit now and I study all of those things, and you kind of have answers for him. Or at least try to have answers for him and just work.”
The pop quizzes that Belichick gives his players — usually publicly around other teammates — help create accountability on the Patriots.
“Definitely — when you’re usually asked a question or something, it’s around the team,” Edelman said. “You don’t want to be ‘that guy’ that doesn’t know the answer or says the wrong answer. You go to play the game with these guys, and they’re looking to the left and right and you’re in that huddle, (so) you want them thinking and knowing that you’re as prepared as best as possible.
“Having that accountability, being dependable, being consistent — all of those things, it’s his way of doing things. It’s weird, but it works. It’s always good to see when your other teammates answer a question right, and they go over and they answer it to a whole other level. It’s kind of a joke now where you try to go above and beyond to try to get coach.”
Edelman, now in his sixth season with the Patriots, knows what to expect out of Belichick at this point, but he doesn’t claim to have all the answers. Edelman said he’s still stumped by Belichick at times.
“In my professional career, that’s all I really know,” Edelman said. “I think it’s an honor to play for Coach Belichick. You never go into a week not thinking you are prepared. Even if it’s one play that the defensive coordinator had when he was a (graduate assistant) at Louisiana Tech, you’re going to see that play and you’re going to be ready for it. It’s definitely a different mentality around here.
“He’s our leader, and (the) reason why we’ve been here and we’ve won a lot of games is because he’s our leader and he’s showed us the way and showed us what we’ve had to do.”
Belichick has 12 division championships, five conference championship and three Super Bowl victories since being hired by the Patriots in 2000, so while his players might not always like his methods, they have to respect the legendary head coach.
“The funnest thing to do is win,” Edelman said. “No one likes going out and sprinting 20 sprints, but you do it because it’s going to help you. Whatever the coaches prepare for us the week, the material, whatever they have for us, it’s not the funnest thing to do, but you know it’s going to put you in the right position to succeed, so you do it.
“I’m not saying you always do it with a smile on your face, but you know that Coach Belichick and the coaching staff, they’ve won Super Bowls and they’ve done all of that stuff, so you know that whatever he does is one of the formulas that’s going to help you to get to the next game. Right now, we are thinking about those Indianapolis Colts.”
Among current players, only quarterback Tom Brady and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork have won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, so while Belichick has a history of success, almost all of his players still are aiming for the ultimate goal. There’s no one better to help them accomplish that than Belichick.
Thumbnail photo via Charles Krupa/Associated Press
