Brady On Edelman: 'I Love That Guy'
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's pretty clear that Tom Brady is a big fan of Julian Edelman.
On Sunday, he showed just how much with a long sprint down the field.
After Edelman returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos, Brady didn't want to be left on the bench and out of the celebration. The quarterback sprinted down the sidelines and into the end zone, congratulating one of his favorite receivers on his fourth career kick return.
While Brady said earlier this season he's placed a bigger emphasis on being a little more mobile, he isn't used to such long runs on the field.
"That was the first time. I was kind of winded. That was probably the longest I've ran in a long time," Brady joked with reporters on Wednesday. "It was a great reason to do it. Jules is just, he's awesome. I love that guy. He's just a special person, player, friend. We've had a lot of time together over the years, so we've got a real special bond."
Edelman, who was named the AFC's Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday, leads the Patriots with 64 receptions on a team-high 79 targets. Only Rob Gronkowski's 663 receiving yards best Edelman's 556 yards on the season.
"A guy like Jules, who's put in so much work, who's had to fight really for everything he's ever gotten, he's really earned it," said Brady. "And I think to see him out there on the field helping our team win and doing whatever the coaches ask… He's had however many ever catches last year, and he's back there returning punts for touchdowns in the biggest games of the year. [He had] nine catches last game. That's what it takes. That's why we win: because we have guys like Julian. There's a bunch of guys like that who do whatever they can to help the team whenever their number is called."
Brady said it's important to have a good relationship with his teammates both on and off the field.
"I think for me, I always feel like I'm the same guy. I feel like I'm still the kid from Portola Drive. I know probably from the outside in it's different, but from the inside out, it's the same. A big part of playing this game is the relationships you have with your teammates," he said. "Winning is great. Seeing all those guys come back that I played with – Roman Phifer and Tom Ashworth and Willie [McGinest] and Ty [Law] and Richard [Seymour] – all those guys have been such an important part of my life.
"I think the guys now are an important part of my life because we all make sacrifices for one another. We see each other at our most vulnerable moments. When you lay it on the line like that, you develop a really special bond with those guys," Brady continued. "That's nothing that I think about. It's just probably part of who I am, and it's probably why I love the game so much and it's why it's a really natural thing. It's not like I ever have to force those things. Hopefully, I chose the right occupation for that."
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