Julian Edelman Admits Patriots’ ‘Damn Hard’ Practices Influenced Retirement

Julian Edelman retired after the 2020 NFL season, and despite hints at a potential comeback, the former New England Patriots wide receiver has moved on to life after football.

The three-time Super Bowl champion joined Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce on their podcast "New Heights" where he recalled gaining Tom Brady's trust through years of offseason workouts. The story sparked Travis Kelce to talk about how he loved to get the feeling of practice even if it was something he had done hundreds of times before. The practice conversation revealed a motivation behind Edelman's retirement.

"I swear if I didn't play in New England I'd still be playing because we practiced so god damn hard," Edelman said. "That's honestly why I retired. I couldn't practice. I was getting three reps a practice, and then I was getting into the pool because my knee -- I was (expletive) up. And you build your confidence through practice. Practice repetition becomes game reality."

Edelman only played six games in the 2020 season and was placed on injured reserve after knee surgery.

The retired wideout praised the Kelce brothers, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles for their commitments to the game and believed those teams are at the top because of their dedication to practice and getting better every day.

The Super Bowl LIII MVP's career was cut short due to injuries, but his hard work through his 11-year career with the Patriots was what made him a fan favorite and one of the best wideouts in franchise history.