Julian Edelman spent 11 of his 12 years in the NFL playing alongside Tom Brady. But while the latter has since moved on from the New England Patriots to continue his legendary career in Tampa Bay, he still took to social media to write a long and emotional post about their time together in the aftermath of Edelman’s retirement from pro football.
“You never lost that chip on your shoulder. You never let anyone define you as a person or player,” wrote Brady in the statement release on social media.
“You have so many teammates that admired your work ethic and will to win, and I am at the top of the list because when I was down and feeling sorry for myself at times, you were right there to pick me up. You were as tough as could be and I love you for all that you did to make our teams as great as they could possibly be.”
A fellow late-round draft pick, Edelman became Brady’s go-to wide receiver in 2013 and helped New England and his quarterback win three Super Bowls in the years that followed. Along the way, the two also developed a friendship that also found its way into Brady’s statement.
“Seeing you become a dad and the changes you made in your life made me so encouraged and happy for you,” he wrote. “Life is about gratitude and perspective! I am so happy for you and your family. You had an amazing football journey, an amazing life journey in New England, and I have no doubt you will succeed in anything you choose to do next!”