New England Patriots - NESN.com
During Julian Edelman’s New England Patriots Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony on Saturday, Edelman thanked many people for his NFL journey. Still, he especially expressed gratitude to the great Patriots fans.
“From the freezing cold nights to the rainy afternoons, you showed up,” Edelman said to Patriots fans, via Alex Barth. “You believed in us, and you believed in me. Your support meant more than you’ll ever know.”
NFL fans recognize the Patriots for having one of the most loyal fan bases, and Edelman needed their support during a challenging start to his NFL career.
NFL teams did not highly regard Edelman coming out of college. He played quarterback at Kent State before New England drafted him in the seventh round in 2009.
Edelman had to adapt to the NFL by transitioning from quarterback to wide receiver in one of the best organizations that demands immediate perfection.
Edelman experienced growing pains in his first four NFL seasons, catching only 69 passes for 714 yards and four touchdowns in 48 games.
If the Patriots fans hadn’t supported Edelman, he might have given up on his NFL career and never become one of the best players in the team’s history.
