Julian Edelman is the latest former Patriots star to embark on a media career. But he’s the first one who’s looking to build an empire.
On Wednesday, Edelman announced he and his Coast Productions partner Assaf Swissa have inked a deal with ViacomCBS. This season, Edelman will join “Inside the NFL” as an analyst, just in time for its streaming debut on Paramount+.
But that’s just the beginning of the agreement, and from Edelman’s standpoint, probably the least intriguing. He’ll receive the opportunity to develop scripted programs for an array of ViacomCBS’ platforms, including Showtime and Nickelodeon.
Two years ago, Edelman teamed up with ViacomCBS to produce the Showtime documentary, “100%: Julian Edelman.” The film was refreshingly self-deprecating, with several gags poking fun at Edelman’s self-aggrandizement. It was also honest. The feature explores Edelman’s complicated relationship with his father, including the impact of his failed PED test. They didn’t speak for 81 days after Edelman told his old man the news.
Edelman has always been transfixed on developing his brand — dating back to his mildly amusing “Burger Tyme” YouTube series. Last year, JE11 took in over $2 million in e-commerce revenue, and amassed over 6 million followers on social media. Edelman and Swissa’s digital video content has generated over 100 million views.
Up until recently, the path for ex-jocks looking to break into the media game was more or less a linear line from the locker room to TV studio — with occasional stops in radio. The number of former Patriots working in prominent sports broadcasting jobs is staggering: Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest, Randy Moss, Ty Law, Charlie Weis, Rob Ninkovich, Troy Brown, Ted Johnson, and of course, WEEI’s own Christian Fauria.
None of those players, however, were shooting YouTube shorts during their playing days. As a star of the social media age, Edelman took advantage of the platforms at his disposal.
He’s a proud content creator, like any millennial worth his salt.
Even a few years ago, Edelman probably wouldn’t have landed a contract with ViacomCBS without more production experience. But with streaming platforms, there are now a surplus of channels. These companies are looking everywhere for content — and Edelman put himself in position to be noticed. He was a presenter at the Grammys and Kids' Choice Sports Awards, both of which are broadcast on CBS and Nickelodeon, respectively.
One of the great misnomers about the Patriots’ run was their supposed singular focus on football. Yes, Edelman was an exceptionally tough player, and one of the hardest workers around. He worked his way up from seventh-round afterthought to playoff legend. Clearly, he’s a maniacal competitor.
But Edelman was also always plotting his post-NFL future. He was prepared for the wheels to come off.
A call from TB12 is the probably the only thing that could get JE11 to put the wheels back on.
