Julian Edelman Reveals Tom Brady Tried to Recruit Him to Buccaneers in 2020

Former NFL wide receiver Julian Edelman played for one team in his entire 12-year career. However, the former New England Patriots star revealed on the Manning brothers' broadcast of Monday Night Football that he was approached by former teammate Tom Brady to get out of Foxborough.

Edelman said that when Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the 2020 season, the quarterback asked him to join him in Florida. Edelman said he quickly declined the offer.

"He hit me up the first day he signed there," Edelman said. "He's like, 'You wanna come down?' And I was like, 'Uh, absolutely not.'"

Edelman, a seventh-round pick out of Kent State in 2009, emerged as a favorite target of Brady in 2013. He had three career 1,000-yard seasons and finished with 90 or more receptions four times.

Edelman was a three-time Super Bowl champ and was named MVP of Super Bowl LIII after recording 10 receptions for 141 yards in New England's 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

He announced his retirement in April after an injury-plagued 2020 season, though Brady joked during NFL Network's virtual Draft-A-Thon a few weeks later that Edelman wasn't really hanging up his cleats for good.

"We know Julian didn't retire. Let's be honest," Brady said. "He's just too scared to tell Bill [Belichick] he wants to come to Tampa. I've been there."

Edelman responded on Twitter that his retirement was legitimate.

The 35-year-old would not have been the only former notable Patriots teammate to follow Brady to Tampa Bay had he gone. Tight end Rob Gronkowski ended his brief retirement to join the Buccaneers in 2020 along with receiver Antonio Brown. Had Edelman taken Brady up on his offer, the two would have celebrated a fourth Super Bowl win together.

The 44-year-old Brady has been doing fine without his former favorite target, though. He threw for 307 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as the Buccaneers defeated the New York Giants on Monday night to improve to 7-3.