Could Julian Edelman return to the Patriots in the postseason?

During an episode of ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s podcast, “Know Them From Adam,” Edelman said he wasn’t sure about the likelihood of being brought off the team’s injured reserve. Although he seemed doubtful, it doesn’t appear that he’s completely ruled out the scenario either. Regardless of the eventual outcome, the 31-year-old emphasized he will be keeping his status under wraps.

“I don’t even want to get it out there,” he said of his potential return. “You really can’t put a timetable on these types of things.”


As for why mapping out one’s rehabilitation is difficult, Edelman — who tore his ACL during the preseason — highlighted a number of factors.

“A) People heal differently,” he said. “B) You put a time out there, a day, and if you don’t get it past that day, then it’s like ‘Oh, well whose fault is it? Is it the athlete’s fault? Is it the training camp’s fault? Is it the doctor’s fault?’ C) You get it early, and you come back, but maybe you get hurt. Then it’s like ‘Oh, well maybe he shouldn’t have been going.'”

In the meantime, the two-time Super Bowl champion said he’s going to focus on doing whatever he can to improve his knee’s condition; in fact, he said he’s going to work “relentlessly” — a not-so-subtle homage to his new memoir, Relentless. Edelman also noted he’s moved past the stage of wondering what he could have done differently and is completely dialed in on progression.

“I’m putting all my time and energy in trying to make this thing heal as fast as it possibly can, and as best as it possibly can,” he told Schefter.


Although he couldn’t comment on the specifics — after all, his head coach is Bill Belichick — Edelman walked listeners through an overview of his typical daily routine.

“I wake up, I go to work, and I see the fellas,” he said. “It’s kind of like class, except when they go to class, I go to rehab. I’ll float around the hallways and poke my head into a class here and there, just to kind of see what’s going on.”

“I’m at the facility from 7 to 3 o’clock, working on my knee, then I go up to the TB12 center,” he continued. “I get that work in with Alex Guerrero to keep all my muscles pliable and try to put a stamp on letting all my muscles go dormant.”

Belichick has previously stated that Guerrero is not a member of the Patriots organization, but Edelman added that he works with the team’s official medical staff, too. He didn’t elaborate on what types of exercises they’re working on, but he did mention they’ve “got a lot of movement stuff going on.”

As he begins to move closer and closer to returning to the field, Edelman said the key to a successful recovery is to pay attention to his body’s feedback.

“The main thing is you got to listen to your body because you push it, you beat it up,” he explained. “You got to get it acclimated to doing certain things, but then you know you got to have your rest and your recovery time. That’s a huge crucial part of it. And sometimes, I’m the type of guy that tries to float around that line a little too closely.”


When he gets home, the wide receiver says he puts on his NormaTec, which reduces muscle soreness and improves circulation, or his Game Ready, which offers hot and cold therapy. Both pieces of equipment are intended to aid with injury recovery and post-surgery rehab.

He also spends time with his daughter, Lily Rose, who recently turned one in November. When asked what’s the best part of being a father, Edelman couldn’t pick just one.

“It’s get better every time you see them,” he said. “You don’t see them for a week, and they’re doing 30, 40 different things that you weren’t seeing from the last time you’ve seen them. Just seeing them experience something for the very first time and having that bond with a person that you made.”