Edelman amped for tribute
Former WR to be honored at halftime Sunday
FOXBORO — Julian Edelman played his final NFL game in an empty stadium.
So naturally, the former Patriots receiver is beyond thrilled to return to a packed Gillette Stadium on Sunday, when the team will honor him with a special ceremony at halftime of the Saints game.
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
“You forget that with last year, how important and how electric and energizing the fans are to the stadium,” Edelman said during a video call with reporters Thursday. “My last game we didn’t play in front of anyone really. So, it’s going to be a fun experience. I’m looking forward for my little girl and my family to be there to see it. I couldn’t be any more thankful for the team, the organization and the Kraft family.”
Edelman, who retired after 12 seasons due to chronic knee trouble, wasn’t sure how he’d react during Sunday’s ceremony.
“It’s definitely going to hit my soul,” said Edelman, who left a legacy of being a biggame performer, sitting second in NFL history behind only Jerry Rice with 118 postseason receptions. “I really don’t know what to expect. I’m an emotional guy. We’ll see if I can hold it up.”
Edelman also seemed pretty pumped about the current Patriots, and new rookie quarterback Mac Jones.
“He’s been playing pretty well. I know he hasn’t lit up the scoreboard and all that. You can see that baby steps are progressing. I’m excited for the coaches and the team this year to keep that going, that improvement, and seeing what he’s really made of,” said Edelman. “Thus far, he’s been looking good. There’s going to be some bumps in those roads.”
Edelman, who has moved on and is now working as a TV analyst on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL,” said being able to retire in New England meant a lot to him.
“Retiring as a Patriot, it’s like a dream,” he said. “I always loved the guys who played on one team. For a football player to have an entire career on one team, one franchise, I feel like it’s a pretty cool thing. That was a dream of mine, honestly.”
Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater was thrilled the team is honoring his former roommate.
“I’m so proud of him and everything he accomplished here in New England. Nothing was given to Julian,” said Slater, a close friend. “He had to earn it all. No one worked harder. No one displayed more toughness. No one was more committed to this football team than Julian. I think it’s great now that we have fans back in the stadium, that we have a chance to honor him, and honor his accomplishments and celebrate JE11 and all that he stands for. I’m proud of my brother.”
Judon upgraded on injury report
Patriots linebacker Matt Judon was upgraded to limited participation in Thursday’s practice after sitting out Wednesday with a new knee injury. Offensive tackle Trent Brown (calf) and running back Damien Harris (finger) were limited for the second straight day. Safety Adrian Phillips, the only player absent Thursday, was missing because of non-injury reasons, likely the birth of his first child.
For New Orleans, the Saints upgraded defensive backs C.J. Gardner-Johnson and P.J. Williams to full participation after being limited earlier in the week, a likely sign both will be able to play on Sunday.
Pats wary of Saints’ returner Harris
Deonte Harris is 5-foot-6, 170 pounds and dangerous.
The Saints’ speedster is averaging better than 31 yards per kick return and scored a 55-yard receiving touchdown in Week 1, the team’s longest offensive play of the year. Several Patriots have remarked this week how quickly he could change Sunday’s game, including Bill Belichick.
“That’s one of the top guys in the league. He’s fast, quick. He’s an explosive guy,” Belichick said this week. “He’s obviously not very big, but if he gets the ball in space, he’s dynamite.”
Thanks partly to Harris, the Saints boast the league’s best special teams, per Pro Football Focus grades and Football Outsiders’ popular efficiency metric, DVOA. Patriots special teams captain Slater compared Harris to Darren Sproles, another dynamic return man who doubled as an offensive threat in New Orleans. Safety Devin McCourty noted while Harris’ offensive snap counts can vary, all Harris needs is one play to break a long touchdown.
“Week 1, he was in the game a lot. Week 2, he wasn’t in as much. But if he’s in there,” McCourty said, “you definitely want to know he’s in the game. It’s definitely a do-your-job game.”
Harris entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019 from Assumption College in Worcester, where he set the NCAA record for career return touchdowns.
Hightower reveals hardest part of return
Dont’a Hightower trudged into the Gillette Stadium media workroom this week and took his familiar place behind the podium. How was his day going? “Long,” Hightower deadpanned Wednesday. Already?
“Just a long morning,” he answered.
Ten minutes later, the Patriots defensive captain hinted at why his day felt longer than normal. After a year away from the NFL, team meetings are starting to wear on him.
“Getting back to these meetings,” Hightower said, when asked what the most difficult part of returning to football has been. “In all honesty, that’s probably the big takeaway from having a lot of liberation (in 2020) and kind of going about how I wanted to, and then just a lot of meetings. That is no lie. The meetings is the worst part of coming back to football. Not camp, not running, just the meetings. Getting back used to that.”
Hightower admitted he’s still building his confidence back after opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 31year-old showed significant improvement during last Sunday’s 25-6 win at the Jets after a lackluster performance in the team’s season opener. He finished with six tackles and a quarterback hit, taking more snaps at outside linebacker than inside linebacker.
“I’ve played a lot of football, but it’s just different being on the field and getting those reps. Just like physical endurance … football shape is different,” he said.