Julian Edelman is the Best Receiver in Patriots History and I Owe Him an Apology for Ranking Him No. 2

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I celebrate Julian Edelman’s Super Bowl MVP award. While at the same time acknowledging the unforgivable disrespect I’ve paid him recently.

After Edelman’s metahuman 9 catches for 151 yards performance against the Chargers in the Divisional round, I asked “Is Julian Edelman the Best Playoff Receiver in Patriots History?” And, I’m ashamed to say, my answer was no. I put him just behind Super Bowl XXXIX MVP Deion Branch. Making this argument:

Games: 16. Receptions: 98. Yards: 1,175. YPR: 12.0. TD: 5. Rings: 2.
Most clutch moment: That Reception for the Gods in Super Bowl LI.

It seems crazy to think that the guy who is second all time in receptions and could finish this postseason 2nd in yards (he’s currently 7th, 140 yards behind No. 2 Michael Irvin), is only second on his own team, but I stand by it. The beautiful thing he is far from finished. So this is subject to change.

Well I stand corrected. After dropping 96 receiving yards on Kansas City and then adding a 10 catch, 141 yards performance in the Super Bowl with eight … and I pause here both for effect and to let the information sink in … EIGHT 1st down conversions, to suggest Minitron is anything less than the best clutch receiver in Patriots history is an insult. He’s now No. 2 on the postseason receiving yards list, 97 ahead of Irvin. Which is a comfortable lead assuming Irving doesn’t unretire.

So if there is any disrespect implied by me putting Julian Edelman behind Deion Branch on my list of Most Clutch Patriots Wide Receivers, I apologize for it. Not just because Edelman endorsed one of my soon-to-be-rewritten books (cha-ching) but in order to right a wrong.  No receiver in the history of the New England Patriots has risen to the occasion and come up huge in clutch situations like he has.

So for that, I apologize. Now we just need to hear the same out of the bozos who say the Patriots can’t draft receivers.