Edmunds’ sibling rivalry goes prime time
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) » Felicia Edmunds would rouse her three preteen boys from bed hours before school — and even on vacation — to put them through a rigorous daily workout of long runs and suicide sprints.
If Trey, Terrell and Tremaine Edmunds aspired to one day play in the NFL, Felicia’s phys-ed teacher instincts kicked in by knowing they weren’t going to get there by sleeping in or lying around all summer.
“Once they made the decision that this is what they wanted to do, then I said, ‘OK, it’s time to go to work because you can’t achieve it by just saying it,’” she told The Associated Press by phone Wednesday. “You have to want it. And you have to put the time in.”
Edmunds, a one-time college track star and wife of former NFL tight end Ferrell Edmunds, laughed at the memory, because in no way did she anticipate how things would unfold.
Not only are all three sons playing in the NFL, they’ll all be on the field Sunday when the Buffalo Bills (9-4) travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) in a prime-time showdown of AFC playoff contenders.
The Steelers feature two of the Edmunds, with Terrell a second-year starting safety and Trey a backup running back and special teams contributor. The Bills’ defense is anchored by second-year middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Edmunds will become the first trio of brothers to appear in the same NFL game since Joe, Cobb and Bill Rooney all played for the Duluth Eskimos in 1927.
“It is iconic. It’s spectacular. It’s amazing. It’s a blissful event,” Felicia Edmunds said.
“I’m going to root for both teams,” she added, before cracking a joke. “This will be the first time for me that no matter what call the refs make, it will not be a wrong call in my book.”
The same, of course, can’t be said for the Edmunds brothers.
Growing up competitive whether playing tackle football in the backyard or pickup basketball, they’re eagerly awaiting to take their sibling rivalry onto a national stage.
“I think the easiest way to put it I guess is bragging rights,” Buffalo’s Tremaine Edmunds said, recalling how there would be times they couldn’t make it up the basketball court without someone tackling the other. “Every time we step foot and do something, the only goal in our mind is to win. And nothing’s going to change on Sunday.”
Asked how long the loser or losers will hear about it, he answered: “Probably until we play again.”
Terrell Edmunds is curious about the rooting interests involving a busload of family members expected to attend the game.
“It’s going to be funny to see how they’re going to split it up,” he said. “It’s a home game for us. Hopefully they pick the right jersey to wear.”
A family dinner is planned for Saturday, and the three plan to swap jerseys following the game.