Written by Adrian Beecher
Atlanta, GA – 32-year-old Julian Edelman from Redwood City, California was named Super Bowl MVP on Sunday night after helping to cement the Patriots 13-3 win over Los Angeles.
Edelman finished the night with 10 catches on 12 targets for 141 yards, adding up to 53% of the receiving yards for the entire team . Adding in his 1 rush for 8 yards puts his total 149 total offensive yards at 36.6% of the overall production for the entire New England offense.
“Just try to get open,” said Edelman, “Your job as a receiver is to get open and catch the ball and block in the run game. My name was called, I was asked to make a couple plays and we were able to do that. There were a lot of plays by other guys. The defense was unreal holding that offense to three points. It is pretty crazy. They should be the MVP – the whole [defense].”
This marks the third Super Bowl win for Edelman and his 18th overall playoff game in his 10-year career. He’s been locked in ever since he got to New England, having scored his first touchdown as a professional returning a punt for a TD in a preseason game his rookie year. Despite the immediate strides of flash and consistency that Edelman has carried over his 10-year career, he says that he has never dreamed about being the Super Bowl MVP.
“Honestly, I didn’t. Whenever I start to get sidetracked from preparing for a game, I like to just kind of think about what I have to do to get ready and think about right now. Coach harped that if your mind gets wandering about anything, just think about right now. What do you have to do? What do you have to do? I just watch film and go over my gameplan and do all those types of things. Naturally, your mind wants to wander, but I didn’t really think about that.”
Last season Edelman tore his ACL in the third preseason game and missed the entire 2017 season. He said that having to watch from the sidelines as his team lost Super Bowl LII was difficult for him.
“Injuries are psychologically so hard for an athlete because you don’t get to do what you love to do. When your team is going out there and playing in the Super Bowl and you don’t get to help or you were not a factor, it was definitely very tough, but we have it this year so we’re good.”
Edelman goes down as just the 7th wideout to ever win the award, joining former Patriot Deion Branch, who claimed the Award back in 2005 at Super Bowl XXXIX when the Pats beat the Eagles. Also on that list is legendary wideout Jerry Rice, who Edelman now sits behind in 2nd all-time with 115 receptions in the Super Bowl, Rice has 151.
After the game, humbled by the mentions and praise that he was receiving for his performance. However, you could tell that he was ready to get some rest after a long season and just soak this all in.
“It’s an honor to be put in the same sentence with Mr. Rice, Jerry Rice, but I’m just worried about now. Just have to relax and get away.”
