Julian Edelman was without a shadow of a doubt the rightful MVP of Super Bowl 53. In what turned out to essentially be a punter’s duel, Edelman’s presence made all the difference. He finished the night with 10 catches for 141 yards, and it felt like every single catch converted a crucial first down. In a game where no one could get going on offense, he was the rain drop that wore down the stone.
I actually thought there was a chance Sony Michel got the MVP honors for scoring the lone touchdown of the game and capping off one if not the greatest rookie postseason runs of all time. Just seemed like in a game like that, it could’ve been anyone. And, hell – if that’s the case, you’ll usually see it go to the quarterback. But, in the end, they got it right with Edelman.
And, at this point in his career, I won’t argue with you if you say that Edelman is the greatest playoff receiver in the history of the NFL. But, are we really going to stretch that out and mention him as a potential NFL Hall of Famer?
As the MVP of this year’s Super Bowl, Patriots’ WR Julian Edelman is playing himself into a spot in Canton in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 4, 2019
I had to look for that blue check mark at least three times before actually writing about this. Wanted to make sure I wasn’t being duped by some fake account, but that’s really him!
Look, I get it – it’s the heat of the moment. We were all probably saying crazy things last night…like the idiots saying Sean McVay should be fired. And, if there were a “postseason Hall of Fame,” I think Edelman would be a LOCK. The dude is just outrageous when the lights are on bright.
But, no such thing exists. It’s the totality of your career, and I’m just not buying Edelman as a legit candidate. He just cracked the top 250 in career receiving yards this season! He’s only caught 100+ receptions in ONE SEASON, despite the fact that he’s been in the NFL for nine years. 5,390 yards just isn’t going to cut it.
The only shot that Edelman has at getting into the Hall of Fame on his current trajectory is if he plays, at this level, for another nine years. It ain’t happenin’ folks, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Edelman’s one of my personal favorite players – love the feisty swag, love the clutch gene, all of that. But, it’s not fair to Edelman to start this debate – he doesn’t need the Hall of Fame to validate what a great career he’s had. He has three Super Bowl rings for that.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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