Julian Edelman had a terrific NFL career that included some of the most memorable plays in Patriots franchise history.
The spectacular diving catch at midfield against the Falcons in the Super Bowl and the double-pass touchdown to Danny Amendola in the AFC Divisional Round against the Ravens immediately come to mind, but according to the wide receiver himself, those aren't his favorite.
Appearing on Pardon My Take Wednesday, Edelman revealed his favorite play as a member of the team.
“I loved the 3rd-and-14 against the Seattle Seahawks (in Super Bowl XLIX),” Edelman said. “When Tom (Brady) hit me late across the middle and Kam Chancellor put a little heat on me and hit me hard.”
The Patriots were down 24-14 in the fourth quarter and Edelman hauled in a high throw from Brady for a 21-yard gain. Without that play, it's hard to imagine the Patriots being able to complete the 10-point fourth quarter comeback.
“That whole week going into that game all we kept hearing was ‘the Legion of Boom, the No Fly Zone,’” Edelman said. “That was a cool moment. I knew I got his best and I was able to get up and go and 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 — which I have nothing but respect for those guys. Those guys were studs. Earl Thomas, (Richard Sherman), freakin’ Chancellor — but that was one of the things.
“That was my play that I love. That’s hard-nosed football. 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.”
Although Edelman got up a bit woozy, he said he wasn't concussed.
“Everyone thinks I was, but nah, I wasn’t concussed,” he said. “I got smoked. I definitely got smoked. The thing is, on the punt return right before that I took a hip pointer and I could barely walk.”
The 34-year-old announced his retirement from the NFL last week.
