Julian Edelman on ‘pretty funny’ plane prank and Tom Brady’s focus
Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is happy to be back playing football again and spoke about earning his role on this year’s squad and more after the team wrapped up Day 2 of training camp.
“It’s a bunch of guys out here trying to compete including myself,’’ Edelman said. “You’ve got some veteran players. Everyone has kind of been here for a couple of years at least, so it’s a smart group of guys, but we’re all here just trying to take the coaching here from the classroom and bring it to the grass, to the drills to the team. It’s a competing group. We’re all competing to try and earn our role.’’
While Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has kept the focus on football while distractions swirl, Edelman got a kick out of some Jets fans that chartered a plane to fly over Patriots practice Thursday with a banner that read, “CHEATERS LOOK UP.’’ On Friday, a pro-Brady banner also appeared over the practice field.
“You know, it’s pretty funny actually to see those kinds of things,’’ Edelman said regarding a camp that has already been pranked by opposing fans and regularly has random outbreaks of pro-Brady chants by the fans. “It’s awesome to hear the fans – how they support everything. Ultimately our minds are on just trying to get in here and get to work and try to mold our team. That’s what we’re thinking about.’’
Edelman was asked if the plane prank helped to fire up the team.
“Truthfully, you look up and you hear the whistle and you’ve got to get to the next period, so coach [Belichick] is over here yelling at us to get to the next period,’’ Edelman said. “You can’t even really think of it. Coach always has his tactics to keep us in the game.’’
Edelman — who reiterated that Brady is “his guy,’’ was peppered with questions about the embattled Patriots quarterback he described as “ticked off’’ a couple of weeks ago.
“[Brady’s] out here doing what everyone else is doing – trying to get better,’’ Edelman said. “It’s a new year. There are a bunch of individual goals that everyone has. I’m sure you could ask him what his are, but he’s coming out here and he’s putting the time in just like everyone else and just trying to get better.’’
Edelman deferred to Brady when asked if the superstar quarterback will be motivated following an offseason of Deflategate controversy.
“You’re going to have to ask him, and what happened in the past, happened in the past,’’ Edelman said. “I’m just kind of trying to worry about what I have to do right now…. He is my guy, but I’ve got to worry about my job so that I can be there for my guy…
“He’s always razor sharp focused. It’s one of those things where he’s focused, we’re trying to be focused and we’re all trying to be focused.’’
Patriots training camp underway
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