FOXBORO — Working with a new receivers coach for the first time in his career, Julian Edelman's adjustment period can be explained with a simple breakfast analogy.
Chad O'Shea, the Patriots' wide receivers coach since 2009, exited just days after New England's Super Bowl LIII victory in February to take the offensive coordinator job with the Dolphins, under fellow Patriots staffer Brian Flores. As a result, special teams coach Joe Judge has taken over the wideouts to go along with his special teams duties.
"It's definitely a different vibe," Edelman said Wednesday. "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 and he's been doing a good job.
"Everyone's got their own flavor, and Chady O's flavor was definitely a little different than Joe Judge's flavor, but it's kind of like cereal. You like fruity cereals and you like chocolate cereals, just depends on what cereal you want."
Edelman is preparing for his 11th year with the Patriots, having signed a two-year contract extension in May that will probably keep him in New England through the rest of his career.
"It's obviously an awesome thing, if you get to do that, get to play for one team," said Edelman. "Like I said earlier, I don't want to play for anyone else. It's great to be back, but I've turned that page, my focus now has gone towards trying to improve myself, getting ready for the season, learn my teammates, help my teammates, and do everything I can to help our team."
The 33-year-old wide out has spent over a decade in Foxboro but is missing some familiar faces this time around, with the departures of both O'Shea and Rob Gronkowski, the former of which joined the Patriots staff a year before Edelman's arrival while the latter was drafted a year after.
It's a bit of a different environment for the Super Bowl LIII MVP, without his closest coach and one of his closest teammates, but it's all just different flavors, "different cereals."
So what cereal does Edelman prefer?
"Depends on what mood I'm in."
