Tom Brady knows just what it requires to create a championship dynasty and very few players have gained his admiration as much asJulian Edelman did. Edelman was not always one of the clutch postseason receivers in the NFL; rather, he was just another late-round draft choice struggling to survive on theNew England Patriots scout team.
Nevertheless, Brady now believes that his path through the sport deserves recognition in Patriots lore.
Tom Brady Says Julian Edelman Earned His Place Among The New England Patriots’ Greatest Players
Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Founders FFC quarterback Tom Brady (12) during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Talking to the New Heights podcast on July 16, Brady was paying tribute to Edelman for his hard work and efforts he put into changing himself from a quarterback drafted into the league to a wide receiver.
Instead, it came through years of learning one of football’s most demanding positions from scratch while refusing to settle for anything less than excellence.
“Julian had one of the greatest work ethics of anyone I’ve ever seen.”
“To learn to be a receiver, to learn how to run a route, to learn how to get open — that’s like an incredibly difficult skill set. And it took him years to figure it out.”
“He built himself into one of the greatest players the Patriots ever had.”
Tom Brady says Julian Edelman built himself from scout-team nobody into one of the greatest Patriots ever
“Julian had one of the greatest work ethics of anyone I've ever seen.”
“To learn to be a receiver, to learn how to run a route, to learn how to get open — that's like an… pic.twitter.com/dmR3GuQk2x
— Hribi (@Hribson) July 16, 2026
The compliments coming from Brady are more meaningful when considering all that Brady and Edelman achieved together. The wide receiver joined the Patriots as a seventh-round draft pick in 2009, having been successful as a quarterback at Kent State.
Edelman has stayed in touch with most of his Patriots’ colleagues after retiring from football. Just before Brady’s remarks went viral, he shared an experience of visiting the wedding of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, describing it as “an unbelievable love story.”
Besides, the character of Edelman has come through once again while he was in the media spotlight. As part of the coverage of the FIFA World Cup, he jokingly compared Norway’s striker, Erling Haaland, to Rob Gronkowski, his former teammate, calling the Manchester City player “European Gen Z Gronk.”
The 48-year-old’s comments emphasized his perseverance, a defining trait throughout his career.
Related reading:
Boston College Eagles: Rising Star Suffered Major Injury, May Miss 2026
2026 NFL Top 100: Baltimore Ravens All-Pro Drops 12 Spots
‘Gives You Problems’: NFC Scout Believes Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Presents Matchup Nightmares
Seattle Seahawks: DROY Runner-Up Makes Debut in the Top 10