Why Julian Edelman Stayed With Patriots, Didn’t Join Tom Brady’s Bucs

Tom Brady didn’t go alone when he made the journey from New England to Tampa Bay.

Brady convinced Rob Gronkowski to come out of his brief NFL retirement so the two could join forces with the Buccaneers in March 2020. The reunion certainly was successful, as the legendary tandem won a Super Bowl in their first season away from the Patriots.

But if Brady had his way, another one of his all-time favorite targets would’ve fleed Foxboro, Mass., and relocated to Central Florida. Julian Edelman was recruited by Brady, but on a recent episode of the “Dudes on Dudes” podcast, the former wideout explained to Gronkowski why he stuck it out at One Patriot Place.

“I was under contract, Rob,” Edelman said. “I had to go down with the ship, buddy. I had to go down with the ship. Have you seen ‘Titanic’? You know the old captain? You know the violin guy? I’m playing the violin.”

Edelman didn’t have much tread left on his tires when he was pitched by Brady, as the Super Bowl LIII MVP retired after the 2020 season. Gronkowski called it a career the following offseason and Brady hung ’em up after the 2022 campaign.

The trio eventually will be “teammates” once again, though, as Edelman and Gronkowski are virtual locks to join Brady as Patriots Hall of Famers.