The New England Patriots are playing in their seventh straight AFC Championship Game, but it’s been a lost season for wide receiver Julian Edelman.

Edelman tore his ACL in the preseason and was placed on season-ending injured reserve prior to Week 1. So, what has Edelman been up to while his teammates went 13-3 and beat the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs?

Edelman opened up to HauteLiving.com.

“First off, you go to the facility and you’re rehabbing,” Edelman, who was spotted in the Patriots’ locker room last week, said. “With the injury, I was able to spend more valuable time with my daughter (Lily), who just turned one year old. It’s one of those things that with everything bad, there is good that comes out of it. When in season, the constant grind for personal time is huge so I enjoyed being able to have that time to spend with my daughter. I also wrote my second children’s book and had the opportunity to design a jean (Joe’s Jeans), but I would rather be suiting up my cleats with my family at the game.”

And what has it been like to watch his teammates succeed without him from afar?

“You’re still part of the team,” Edelman said. “I am happy to see them play in the playoffs because I have seen firsthand how hard this team works. To get this opportunity is not given; it’s earned. It would be a better experience if I was playing, but I have to focus on getting my body in tip-top shape for next year.”