Turn negative to positive
Ninkovich offers advice to Jules
Rob Ninkovich is in the “club,” so to speak. He gets where Julian Edelman is on so many levels.
The former Patriots linebacker has walked in Edelman’s shoes, and agonized over the aftermath of a suspension for allegedly using performanceenhancing drugs.
Ninkovich tossed and turned, losing sleep wondering what people would think of him, and how it would affect his reputation. He thought what to do, how to handle the aftershock of his 2016 suspension?
That’s why he reached out to Edelman after initial word came out that Tom Brady’s go-to receiver was facing a four-game ban for violating the NFL policy on PED use.
Ninkovich knows the rush of emotions and certainly understands the stigma attached. He managed to get past it.
Will Edelman? Ninkovich, on hand yesterday at the Battery Wharf Hotel as part of the Leonard Hair Transplant Associates media day, said there’s only one way to do that.
“You have to learn from your mistakes. Whatever supplement you took, if you say it was a mistake, it just can’t happen twice,” Ninkovich said. “If you make an honest mistake, and you say ‘I’m sorry,’ they’ll forgive you. But if you do it again, you can’t come back from that. Guys with multiple offenses are automatically out.”
One strike is manageable. Two strikes, and you’re out.
Ninkovich, of course, was supportive of his former teammate. He wanted Edelman, who lost his suspension appeal, to know he could get past this.
“I just said it’s not the end of the world,” said Ninkovich, who retired before last season. “Yeah, it sucks. It’s not what you want to deal with at this point in your career. When I was going through it, I had gone through all these emotions of what people were going to think of me, and at the end of the day, the people that love you, and that support you, it doesn’t matter. If you’re playing football, when you’re done playing football, those people will still be there. The people that are bad-mouthing you, or aren’t on your side . . .”
Ninkovich didn’t finish the sentence. He just made a familiar gesture with his hand to express what he felt about those people.
Another former Patriot, Rodney Harrison, speaking last month and given that he was another who served a PED suspension, voiced similar comments when it came to the 32-year-old Edelman.
“Ultimately, people are going to think what they want to think. If you’re a part of the Patriots, and something like this happens, people from the outside, they think you’re a cheater anyway,” Harrison told the Herald. “Ultimately, I’d tell him, ‘It doesn’t matter what other people think. You know what type of person you are. You just have to bounce back from this. You can’t allow it to affect you. You have to use your time wisely.’ ’’
At this point, Ninkovich says, it’s just best for Edelman to move ahead with training camp and focus on getting his surgically repaired knee in shape for the season when he rejoins the team in Week 5.
“I’d say he’s just gotta move on from it, man. Just work on getting as healthy as you can be. Go into training camp try and work on your craft as much as you can,” said Ninkovich. “For me, I made my statement. I moved on. I tried to enjoy my family (during the suspension). That was the start of me thinking I couldn’t do this forever. The stress you have to go through a season alone is insane. Football drains you. You have to be able to have the ability to turn the negatives into positives.
“But I think Jules, the way he’s made up mentally, the guy is such a competitor, he’ll handle it.”