Edelman Talks Late-Career Struggles on Crosby's Podcast

Former NFL wide receiver Julian Edelman described on Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby's podcast what it was like to struggle through some of the later years of his career.

The later years of an NFL player’s career are often less enjoyable and filled with more struggles than their prime days. 

This was certainly the case with former New England Patriots star Julian Edelman. The former NFL wide receiver suffered a torn ACL in 2017 and was suspended for the first four games of the 2018 regular season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. 

Edelman retired from football in 2021 after a failed physical. Despite his late-career struggles, he is still considered one of the best success stories in football history because of his late-round draft status and his change from quarterback to wide receiver in the NFL. He went on to win three Super Bowls in his 11-year career. 

Edelman joined Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Rush with Maxx Crosby," where he discussed some of his late-career hardships. 

“[2018] was a tough year, bro,” he said. “That was really tough. You’re an older guy now; you’re getting to become old; you’re 33, you’re suspended, your team starts 2-2, everyone’s already talking, ‘They’re not going to do s---,’ and I was still rehabbing a knee. So, even when I came back, I still wasn’t me, and it was a very emotionally draining year.”

Edelman went on to talk about how he overcame some of those struggles.

“That’s where you have to be your most mentally tough,” he said. “Literally put those blinders on and not worry about any outside f---ing noise. I can remember coming back in Week 11 or 12; my knee had to get worked on right after the game because I just didn’t have that endurance strength yet, and I was dying. I just wasn’t there and it was f---ing hard. Then, all of a sudden, you hit that Week 13, and you start feeling that playoffs, and you could potentially get that bye, and you get a little jolt of energy, and you just try to stack a good day after a good day.

“It sounds so stupid and so simple, but if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. If you got better that day, and you could try to get better the next day, that’s really what it was.”

Click here to watch the full podcast episode with Crosby and Edelman.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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