Julian Edelman on Drake Maye, the Patriots & His Favorite Super Bowl Catch

Julian Edelman sits down with Athlon Sports to discuss Drake Maye, the New England Patriots, the 2026 NFL season, his favorite Super Bowl catch and his bold prediction for the NFL.

Video Transcript

Bold predictions for the NFL in 2026.

Bold predictions.

Let’s get some, let’s give you some, what is this, clickbait stuff?

This is Craig Ellenport with Athlon Sports, and we’re here with New England Patriots legend, Super Bowl LIII MVP, Julian Edelman.

Julian, how are you today?

I’m doing well, Craig.

How are you?

Doing, doing very good.

I’ve, I’ve got my Julian Edellbrew right here with me, so- That’s a hell of a beer right there, buddy.

Tell me your expectations for the Patriots this season.

I, I expect them to be a really good football team.

They had some problems in the off-season as far as what they needed to address for their team, looking back on the, the previous year and how things went in the playoffs.

You know, they, they, they, they fortified the offensive line through trade and draft with Lomu and, and, Barrett Tucker, the Jet.

You know, they bring in a superstar weapon like A.J.

Brown.

Another year for Drake May in the same system with Josh McDaniels, so I, I expect to see just like a, a continual little grade of improvement for this whole team, and I, I feel like they’re gonna compound of la- off of last year, and, and I think they’re gonna be a really good football team.

I, I can’t put like a number.

I don’t know w- what they’re gonna do, but you know, if, if they’re healthy, just because I like, I like the mentality and I like the mind of, of Drake May.

He, he seems like a kid that’s hungry to learn.

You know, he’s, he’s a little brother, out of five boys or four boys, whatever it is.

He, he knows how to be a part of a team.

He’s got a good little moxie to himself.

He’s got a swagger, and I And usually teams go to how their leaders go and, and Brabel being an alpha guy, you know they’re , you know, they’re gonna, they’re gonna be a tough team, but you gotta, you always gotta look at that quarterback, too, because that’s the leader of the team.

And you know, I, I like his mojo.

Yeah, yeah, he had a, obviously coming off a great sophomore season and how would you feel if, if you were one of these current Patriots, how would you feel about all you’re hearing this off-season is what an easy schedule they had last year?

Of course they did well.

If I was one of these Patriots, then I probably wouldn’t be hearing the outside noise because I’d be focused on what’s on my plate right now, you know?

The whole Patriot way thing, ignore outside noise, don’t believe the hype, speak for yourself, put the team first, all those types of things.

I’d just really try to work on what do I gotta do pre-season, before the season starts, to get myself the best I can possibly be so that we can go out and try to win games.

So you know, if y- compartmentalizing things is a part of being a professional athlete, whe- whether it’s distraction, whether it’s media, whether it’s this, whether it’s that.

You know, everyone’s gotta deal with it, so you know, put the blinders on, put the stuff in the drawer, let’s go win some games, okay?

That’s what I would be saying.

So now, not, not if you were one of these Patriots, but now that you are a member of the media, what do you think about the difference between last year’s schedule and this year’s schedule?

Well, I mean, the schedule’s a lot harder this year, but I, regardless, it’s the National Football League, you know?

I’m, I’m sorry to say, there’s no like Kent States on the schedule.

You know, I know there’s the Dolphins and the Jets, but those are still pro football teams that, you know, have a lot of good football players, especially, you know, you look at the Jets.

They , they’ve been drafting real high for a long time, so you know, you start building up players and, you know, Aaron Glenn getting a little bit more of his players.

You know, the Miami Dolphins, I, I know they’re, we don’t know what to expect with them, but I, I, I expect them to continue to get, to improve, you know?

And the teams that I were on, that I was on, you know, played the toughest schedule every year, because when you win, that’s what happens.

So you know, it, it’s an honor to have a tough schedule.

That’s what I would be thinking.

It’s really a golden age for wide receivers in the NFL.

So many good ones, and I mean, you got Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson at the top, but after those two guys, who, who are like the three that you love to watch the most?

I mean, Smith and Jigba, Offensive Player of the Year, he’s pretty dang good.

Puka Nacua got like 190 catches last year.

This guy just is a production machine.

He’s a big, strong receiver, smart, plays in a lot of spots.

I, I really, I really love Amon-Ra St. Brown.

I think he’s up in there as well.

He’s a, he’s a guy that, he’s a very versatile guy that plays in a lot of spots.

Jackson Smith and Jigba, I mean, his route running ability and, and for his, his frame, he’s elite, ’cause he’s not like a huge guy, but he makes contested catches 50/50.

You know, he, he catches those 50/50 balls and he, you know, everyone’s been talking about his pad level.

He, he never drops his pad level.

You know, Tom talked about that on his broadcast.

So you know, he, he’s a really good route runner.

Puka, strong, big, strong hands, faster than what you think, quicker than what you think, bigger than what you think.

You know, like I, he’s a, he’s a beast.

And I liked Luther Burton’s game, but I think he’s banged up.

I thought he was a good young receiver.

Amika Buka, I think he’s a good receiver.

I expect a big jump.

They need him to have a big jump this year, even though he had a really great year last year.

Like you said, it, it’s a renaissance for, for these receivers, you know?

And, a- and I personally think it’s because of, you know, the information age.

These guys have been playing in seven on seven tournaments- Yes practicing releases.

You know, back in my day, we used to like hear folklore of what Jerry Rice did for his training or Randy, you know, Randy Moss.

Now you can just hop on a dude’s TikTok or Instagram and, and you got these little gym rats like all these guys are, and they practice these releases, they practices, practice their routes, and they do ’em A million times and, and the game’s just gotten better, and these guys are really good.

Nate, Nate Burleson talked to Athlon Sports about this as well, and he, the seven-on-seven he m- he made a point of, which was really important, that, that it’s- Yeah so prevalent now these days.

That and just the amount of coaching that you can get for specialization.

Like they didn’t have any of that when, when I was coming out.

I was learning with Charlie Fry, who’s a quarterback.

You know what I mean?

He was teaching me how to run routes.

Yeah.

Now you can go hire a dude who, you know, probably played division one, knows all the, the, the techniques.

And, and if you have it and you practice it, guys are gonna become little machines, and that’s what, what, that’s what these guys are, especially with the athleticism, you know?

And you were busy playing quarterback a little bit too, so you know.

There’s that.

There’s that too.

Which one is more memorable to you all time, th- the amazing catch from Super Bowl LI or the Super Bowl MVP honor of LIII?

I think that LIII was pretty crazy.

Just how the season started, coming off an injury.

I was at a real low spot in my life.

Just the mental toughness that, you know, I, I didn’t think I had to be able to continue to grow and, and have the, the end of the season and that season off of the season before.

Like that, that was so, that’s a proud moment, just that.

That, that catch in, in LI was awesome, but my f- my favorite catch in the Super Bowl was probably the third and, like, 18 against Legion of Boom when Kam Chancellor hit me.

Like that, I thought that was a cool catch because that’s, that was like a play me and my dad used to, like, my dad used to throw me balls in the street and, when I was like real young, before I was even playing.

And he’d always say, like, “Give me a down and in.”

And I would go, and I’d run a down and in, and he’d hit me.

And I’d catch it, and he says, “Can you make the catch when Ronnie Lott hits you?”

And I’d always say, “Yeah, I can.”

And like, Kam Chancellor, man, that guy’s a beast.

No.

He lit me up.

And to be able to make that catch and continue and that part of the game, I was like, that’s like kind of a microcosm of my life, I feel, that, that play.

It all started in Oliver Street.

Hit the white card, take it in, let’s go.

Any other bold predictions for the NFL in 2026?

Bold predictions.

Let’s get some, let’s give you some, what is this, clickbait stuff.

Bold prediction, there’s gonna be a new Super Bowl winner.

That’s my bold prediction.

Not in the prediction business, guy.

That’s okay.

But you won’t, then you don’t wanna tell me who that new- No, I won’t say who.

Oh.

‘Cause if you’re a real football guy, then you know you know nothing.

What goes on in the building, you can’t call the games.

You don’t know what happened to one of the player’s wives that got mad at him or the kid’s sick.

Like I don’t know all that stuff, so why am I gonna I can’t put a prediction out there unless, unless I know the prediction.

Tell me, tell me about it.

How, how did this all happen with Sam Adams?

You know, we partnered up, and they, they wanted to, incorporate some Boston legends.

And so they somehow called my, my name, and I, I picked right up.

And, you know, it was a- absolute kind of a dream because I remember, you know, being a young football player from California coming out here and, like, seeing the cobblestone streets and all the history.

And everyone knew Sam Adams was the Boston beer.

And now, you know, fast-forward to 15, 20 years later, to be associated with this city because of the winning of the team that I was on, it’s been an absolute honor, and it’s, it’s been really cool.

Did, did you have much say in, the, the taste and how this went?

Oh, yeah.

I was, I was basically out there.

I was in the, the chemistry place where, you know, you, you make it.

A lot of hops, barley.

I said I want a lager.

Give me something a little gritty, little fall time beer.

A little, give me a little something right there.

I like a little extra alcohol, so I went with the lager.

You know, more Americano.

Leave the white ale, the pale ale to the other guys.

You know, Derek White, Crochet.

Big Z Pilsner, I won’t say anything bad about that because he might beat me up.

But, yeah, you know, I pretty much made this beer on my own.

I did see the alcohol content in your beer is stronger than those other guys.

I mean, come on, Craig.

Yeah.

So, so that, that brings me to the next point here.

Do you know you’re not the only Super Bowl MVP with his own beer?

Who’s the other Super Bowl MVP with their own beer?

Troy Aikman has a light beer called Eight.

Eight?

Eight, number eight.

Yeah, but you’ve heard of Samuel Adams.

I ain’t never heard of that one.

Well, that’s what I was gonna say.

You need to remember that, buddy.

I, I- I’m joking.

I’m just joking, Troy.

Don’t beat me up either.

Well, it w- Troy Aikman, he, I seen him.

He, he’s been working out.

You wa- have you seen Troy Aikman?

Yeah, yeah.

He’s pretty fit.

He is.

He, he’s a marathon man too.

But, but you tell me.

I haven’t had his beer either.

I’ve had yours, and it’s great.

W- y- tell, tell Troy who’s got the better beer.

I, I mean, I haven’t had Troy’s beer, of course.

I’m, I’m a straight lager guy.

I don’t even know what kind of beer that is, but Troy’s, of course.

That’s right.

We’ll, we’ll see if we can get a taste test going one of these days.

Yeah, we’re gonna have to get one.

Well, Julian, I appreciate the time.

Enjoy tonight.

And, we’ll see how the season goes.

Football’s back, baby.

Excited.

All right, Julian Edelman.

Go get, go get you.

Our city, our beer, baby.

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