Patriots Country

Julian Edelman Almost Left Patriots for NFC Powerhouse

New England Patriots legend Julian Edelman almost left the team to join an NFC powerhouse.

Evan Massey

Oct 25, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) runs with the ball during warmups before a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium.
Oct 25, 2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) runs with the ball during warmups before a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Gillette Stadium. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
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Julian Edelman is one of the top recent stars for the New England Patriots' franchise. He was one of the most consistent wide receivers in the NFL and was a favorite of team legend Tom Brady.

Throughout the years, Edelman was a major fan favorite. Since he stopped playing the game, Edelman has been very vocal about the NFL and sharing stories from his playing days.

Recently, Edelman made a shocking confession. He almost left the Patriots at one point.

Edelman has admitted that he nearly left New England to join the San Francisco 49ers. Then head coach Jim Harbaugh was trying to convince him to come to the 49ers.

When everything was said and done, Edelman stayed loyal to the Patriots and ended up signing back with the team even though San Francisco offered him more money.

Here's a clip of Edelman making the confession about nearly parting ways with New England:

Needless to say, this could have changed an awful lot about the success that New England had. Edelman was a huge part of helping them win so many Super Bowls.

Throughout his 11-year NFL career, Edelman ended up playing in 137 games. He racked up 620 receptions for 6,822 yards, 36 touchdowns, and an 11.0 yards per catch average. Those numbers show just how big of a piece he was for the Patriots.

Now, Edelman has turned into a very entertaining sports talk voice. He has a lot of insight into the game, but also brings a great sense of humor. His connections have also served him well.

Thankfully, fans never had to see Edelman leave town. Watching Brady and Rob Gronkowski play football elsewhere was difficult enough.

Edelman is still well loved in New England and that isn't going to change. If he had left to join the 49ers, that probably wouldn't be the case.

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Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

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