History of Julian Edelman in Timeline
Julian Edelman is a retired American football wide receiver who played 12 seasons in the NFL, all with the New England Patriots. Drafted in the seventh round in 2009, he initially served as a return specialist before transitioning to wide receiver, eventually becoming a key offensive player starting in 2013. He played college football as a quarterback at Kent State. Edelman was a consistent presence in the Patriots' receiving group until his retirement after the 2020 season.
1976: Mike Haynes' Punt Return
In 1976, Mike Haynes had an 89-yard punt return.
May 22, 1986: Julian Edelman Born
On May 22, 1986, Julian Francis Edelman was born. He later became a wide receiver in the NFL, playing for the New England Patriots.
1995: David Sloan's Postseason Performance
In 1995, David Sloan of the Detroit Lions became the first rookie to score two receiving touchdowns in one postseason game.
2001: Troy Brown's Punt Return Touchdown
In 2001, Troy Brown had a punt return touchdown against the Carolina Panthers.
2003: Joshua Cribbs's Record Broken
At Kent State, Julian Edelman broke Joshua Cribbs's single-season school record for total offense in 2003.
2004: Senior Year at Woodside High School
In 2004, during his senior year at Woodside High School, Julian Edelman led the Wildcats to a 13-0 record as their quarterback. He had impressive stats, throwing for 2,237 yards and 29 touchdowns, and rushing for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns.
2007: Randy Moss Receives Award
In 2007, Randy Moss was the Patriots wide receiver to receive the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.
July 16, 2009: Signed Contract with Patriots
On July 16, 2009, Julian Edelman signed a four-year contract with the New England Patriots, including a signing bonus. He had prepared to play positions other than quarterback, and also received an offer from the BC Lions to play quarterback.
August 13, 2009: Preseason Punt Return
On August 13, 2009, in a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Julian Edelman returned a punt 75 yards. This performance contributed to him making the team over Greg Lewis.
2009: Holmes Wins Super Bowl MVP
In 2009, Santonio Holmes became the first wide receiver to win Super Bowl MVP since Super Bowl XLIII.
2009: Pro Day Performance
In 2009, during his Pro Day, Julian Edelman ran the short shuttle in 3.92 seconds, which was faster than the fastest time at that year's NFL Combine.
2010: Increased Playing Time and Punt Return Touchdown
In the 2010 NFL season, Julian Edelman saw limited playing time until Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins. With key players inactive, Edelman had three receptions for 72 yards and a 94-yard punt return touchdown. This was the first punt return touchdown by a Patriot in the regular season since 2001 and the longest in Patriots history, eclipsing an 89-yard return from 1976.
2010: Franchise Record in Return Average
In the 2010 season, Julian Edelman set a franchise record by averaging 15.3 yards per return, ranking second in the league. He played in 15 games, recording seven receptions for 86 yards and 321 return yards on 21 punt returns. In the Divisional Round against the New York Jets, he had a 12-yard reception.
December 15, 2011: Charges Dropped
On December 15, 2011, prosecutors dropped all charges against Julian Edelman related to an alleged incident at a Halloween party due to insufficient evidence.
2011: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
During Week 11 of the 2011 season, on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs, Julian Edelman played defensive back and returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown. This earned him his first AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.
2011: Played as a Defensive Back
During the 2011 season, Julian Edelman was primarily used as a kick and punt returner. However, in Week 10 against the New York Jets, due to injuries in the Patriots' secondary, he played as a defensive back during the fourth quarter and made his first tackle on defense.
2012: Free Agency
After the 2012 season, Julian Edelman became a free agent.
2012: Increased Snap Count, Punt Return Touchdowns
In the 2012 season, Julian Edelman's snap count increased. In Week 11, he had a strong game with five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown, 47 rushing yards, and a 68-yard punt return touchdown, tying the Patriots' franchise mark with three punt return touchdowns. He had 105 yards of total offense and 222 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns.
2012: Multiple Touchdowns on Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving Day in 2012, Julian Edelman scored two touchdowns in the second quarter against the New York Jets, contributing to a franchise record of five touchdowns and 35 points in one quarter. He had a fumble recovery, a 22-yard return on a kickoff, and a 56-yard touchdown reception. He became the first player since the AFL-NFL merger with both a receiving touchdown and a return touchdown in consecutive games. He broke his right foot later in the season.
April 10, 2013: Re-signed with New England Patriots
On April 10, 2013, Julian Edelman re-signed with the New England Patriots on a one-year deal.
December 2013: Identifies as Jewish
During an NFL Network interview in December 2013, Julian Edelman stated that he identifies as Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah and has become "more attuned to the religion and history."
2013: Season Opener Touchdowns and Punt Return Record
During the 2013 season opener, Julian Edelman scored both of New England's touchdowns in a victory over the Buffalo Bills. He became the NFL's all-time leader in career punt return average, surpassing George McAfee, though his average soon dropped below the record.
2013: Primary Offensive Starter
In 2013, Julian Edelman became a primary offensive starter for the New England Patriots, solidifying his role in their receiving corps.
2013: Breakout Season
In 2013, Julian Edelman had a breakout season. He caught nine passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns in a comeback victory over the Denver Broncos. By Week 17, he became the third Patriots player to catch over 100 passes in a season, finishing the season with 105 receptions for 1,056 yards.
March 15, 2014: Re-signed with the Patriots
On March 15, 2014, Julian Edelman re-signed with the Patriots on a four-year deal for $17 million.
2014: Punt Return Touchdown Record
In 2014, Julian Edelman had 92 receptions for 972 yards and four touchdowns. During Week 9, he returned a punt 84 yards for his fourth career return touchdown, surpassing Troy Brown for the most punt return touchdowns in Patriots history.
2014: Wore Israeli-American Flag Pin
In 2014, Julian Edelman wore an Israeli-American flag pin on his hat during a game against the Denver Broncos at Gillette Stadium.
2015: Foot Injury and Return
In 2015, during a game against the New York Giants on November 15, Julian Edelman suffered a foot injury that required surgery. He returned for the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs, contributing significantly to the Patriots' victory. For his efforts in 2015, Edelman was ranked 87th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
2015: Super Bowl XLIX Performance
In Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 against the Seattle Seahawks, Julian Edelman led all receivers in yardage with 109 yards on nine receptions, including a crucial go-ahead touchdown. He was also ranked 91st on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.
2015: Puma Ad Campaign
Julian Edelman appeared in a Puma advertisement campaign in 2015 and also presented at the Grammy Awards with Malcolm Butler.
July 2016: Paternity Suit
In July 2016, Julian Edelman was named in a paternity suit filed by Swedish model Ella Rose, with whom he had a casual relationship.
September 15, 2016: Fined for Hit on Defenseless Player
On September 15, 2016, Julian Edelman was fined $26,309 for a hit on a defenseless player during a game.
2016: Teammate During Season
In 2016, Chris Long was a teammate of Julian Edelman.
2016: Publishes Children's Book
In 2016, Julian Edelman became one of three Patriots to publish a children's book, "Flying High", about a squirrel named Jules.
2016: Ranked on NFL Top 100
In 2016, Julian Edelman was ranked 87th on the NFL Top 100 Players list.
June 8, 2017: Contract Extension with Patriots
On June 8, 2017, Julian Edelman signed a two-year, $11 million contract extension with the New England Patriots, including $9 million guaranteed through the 2019 season.
October 24, 2017: Relentless Published
On October 24, 2017, Hachette Book Group published Julian Edelman's memoir, "Relentless", written with Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston.
December 2017: Flying High 2 Released
In December 2017, "Flying High 2" was released, loosely based on Julian Edelman's "greatest Super Bowl catch" against the Atlanta Falcons.
2017: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players
For his performance in the 2016 NFL season, Julian Edelman was ranked 71st by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
2017: Documentary About Edelman
In 2017, Edelman recovered from an ACL tear.
2017: NFL Going Global Special
In 2017, Julian Edelman was featured with Danny Amendola in a 30-minute NFL Network special, NFL Going Global: Edelman & Amendola, chronicling their promotional trip to Mexico City.
February 2018: Edelman Expected to Play
In February 2018, it was reported that Julian Edelman was expected to be ready to play by the 2018 training camp after recovering from an injury.
November 4, 2018: Israeli Flag Hat
On November 4, 2018, Julian Edelman wore an Israeli flag hat following the Patriots' victory over the Green Bay Packers in support of the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
2018: Documentary About Edelman
In 2018, Edelman participated in the NFL season.
2018: Hall of Fame Debate
Julian Edelman's performance in the 2018 playoffs led to debate about inducting him into the Hall of Fame.
May 21, 2019: Contract Extension
On May 21, 2019, Julian Edelman signed a two-year, $18 million contract extension with the Patriots with $12 million guaranteed, keeping him under contract through the 2021 season.
2019: Edelman's 2019 Season
During the 2019 season, Edelman achieved 100 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 30 yards, and rushed twice for 12 yards and a touchdown during the Wild Card Round against the Tennessee Titans.
2019: Co-Founded Nuthouse Sports
In 2019, Julian Edelman co-founded a production company, Nuthouse Sports, with Assaf Swissa. Their first venture was the 2019 Showtime documentary 100%, about Edelman's recovery from a 2017 ACL tear and the 2018 NFL season.
2019: Presents at Grammy Awards
In 2019, Julian Edelman presented at the Grammy Awards with teammate Devin McCourty.
2019: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players
In 2019, Julian Edelman was ranked 90th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.
2019: Fatherhood Details
In 2019, in an interview with Haute Living magazine, Julian Edelman detailed how challenging and rewarding he found being a father and explained that fatherhood had changed his view of life.
January 11, 2020: Cited for Misdemeanor Vandalism
On January 11, 2020, Julian Edelman was cited for misdemeanor vandalism by the Beverly Hills Police Department for allegedly jumping on the hood of a car.
April 2020: Charge Dropped
In April 2020, the misdemeanor vandalism charge against Julian Edelman was dropped by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office after he paid for the car repair.
October 25, 2020: Final Game
Julian Edelman played his final game on October 25, 2020, which was a 33–6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, finishing the game with a 13-yard reception.
2020: Retirement from NFL
After the 2020 season, Julian Edelman retired from the NFL after playing 12 seasons with the New England Patriots.
January 1, 2021: Edelman Not Activated
On January 1, 2021, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announced that Julian Edelman would not be activated before the end of the season.
April 12, 2021: Edelman Announces Retirement
On April 12, 2021, Julian Edelman announced his retirement after 12 seasons with the Patriots, receiving praise from Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.
April 2021: Development Deal with ViacomCBS
In April 2021, after Edelman's retirement, ViacomCBS signed a multi-year development deal with Coast Productions, and Edelman joined Inside the NFL as an analyst as it moved to Paramount+.
August 2022: Co-hosting Podcast
In August 2022, Julian Edelman along with comedian Sam Morril began co-hosting an iHeartMedia podcast, Games with Names, revisiting iconic sports games.
November 25, 2022: A Football Life Episode Aired
On November 25, 2022, the NFL Network documentary series "A Football Life" aired an episode about Julian Edelman.
2022: Sports Emmy Nomination
In 2022, Julian Edelman was nominated for a Sports Emmy for his first season on Inside the NFL.
2023: Solo Hosting Podcast
In 2023, Julian Edelman continued to host the Games with Names podcast by himself after Sam Morril left the podcast.
October 15, 2024: Podcast Debut
On October 15, 2024, the “Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules” podcast debuted, produced by Nuthouse Sports.
October 2024: Entertainment Studio Partnership
In October 2024, Julian Edelman and Assaf Swissa partnered with Rob Gronkowski on the entertainment studio, Nuthouse Sports.
October 2024: Launches Podcast with Gronkowski
In October 2024, Julian Edelman launched another iHeartMedia podcast, Dudes on Dudes, with Rob Gronkowski.
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