FOXBORO, Mass. — For the first time in his 11-year NFL career, Julian Edelman is having to adjust to a different voice leading the New England Patriots’ wide receiver room this spring.
Edelman’s arrival in New England in 2009 coincided with the team’s hiring of Chad O’Shea as its receivers coach, beginning a partnership that spanned a decade. Under O’Shea’s tutelage, Edelman grew from converted college quarterback to one of the best wideouts in Patriots history, culminating in his MVP performance in Super Bowl LIII.
That game wound up being O’Shea’s last on the Patriots’ sideline. This past February, he left to join the Miami Dolphins, where he now serves as Brian Flores’ offensive coordinator.
Rather than replace O’Shea with an outside hire or a promoted coaching assistant, the Patriots made the unorthodox decision to assign receiver duties to special teams coach Joe Judge, who will pull double duty this season.
Edelman, who has experience working under Judge as a punt returner, found a creative way of describing the differences between the fiery Judge — who often can be heard bellowing at players during practice — and the more reserved O’Shea.
“It’s definitely a different vibe,” Edelman said Wednesday after the Patriots’ second minicamp practice. “It’s my first new coach. Joe Judge is a very passionate guy. He works very hard at his craft. It’s exciting to have him. He’s been doing a good job. I’m excited to have him.
“It’s just everyone’s got their own flavor, and Chaddy O’s flavor was definitely a little different than Joe Judge’s flavor. But it’s kind of like a cereal — you like fruity cereals and then you like chocolate cereals. It depends on which cereal you want.”
(Come to think of it, Chaddy O’s does sound like a cereal brand.)
Judge has had help in both areas under his purview during spring practice. Assistant special teams coach Cameron Achord and various other staffers work on the kicking game, and former Patriots stars Troy Brown and Deion Branch have been on hand to help coach wide receivers.
