Julian Edelman was asked Wednesday on the “Pardon My Take” podcast to share his favorite play from an NFL career full of impressive, tough and clutch moments on the gridiron.
His choice was somewhat surprising.
Although Edelman’s gravity-defying catch against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, his game-winning touchdown grab against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX and his double-pass TD to Danny Amendola in the divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens all come to mind, the recently retired New England Patriots wide receiver pointed to a crucial play that often gets lost in the shuffle.
We’re talking about his fourth-quarter catch on third-and-14 with the Patriots trailing the Seahawks 24-14 in Super Bowl XLIX. The play resulted in a 21-yard gain — extending a drive that culminated with a New England touchdown — and a huge hit from Seattle safety Kam Chancellor.
“I loved the third-and-14 against the Seattle Seahawks when Tom (Brady) hit me late across the middle and Kam Chancellor put a little heat on me and hit me hard,” Edelman said. “That whole week going into that game, all we kept on hearing was the ‘Legion of Boom,’ the ‘No-Fly Zone,’ the this, the that. That was a cool moment when I knew I got (Chancellor’s) best and I was able to get up and go and then make a play in the next couple plays. Like, hey, we’re here to play.
“We may not be the flashy skill-position group, we’re not the Legion of Boom, we’re not this — which, I have nothing but respect for those guys. Those guys were studs — Earl Thomas, Sherm (Richard Sherman), friggin’ Chancellor. But that was one of the things. That was my play that I love. That’s hard-nosed football right there. When I transferred to receiver, it was always, ‘Can you make the catch over the middle?’ And that was the catch over the middle in the biggest moment. That was a fun play.”
Edelman made another 21-yard reception four plays later to set up a touchdown strike to Amendola, which cut New England’s deficit to 24-21. He then, as mentioned, caught what proved to be the game-winning TD from Brady with 2:02 remaining, a precursor to Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception in the final minute.
Many folks in the moment thought Edelman was concussed on the massive blow by Chancellor. But he insists he wasn’t despite looking a little wobbly upon getting to his feet.
“I definitely got smoked,” Edelman concedes. ” … I don’t think I had a concussion.”
Edelman, a three-time Super Bowl champion, retired last week after 12 NFL seasons, all with New England.
