Julian Edelman: Jimmy Garoppolo Not Playing Through Injury Made Patriots Mad in 2016
June 28, 2022
Former New England Patriots star Julian Edelman acknowledged feeling a level of frustration when Jimmy Garoppolo missed a 2016 game against the Buffalo Bills.
Garoppolo, who was filling in for the suspended Tom Brady, was ruled out because of a shoulder injury.
During an appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast (via Boston.com's Hayden Bird), Edelman said some Patriots players were "mad" Garoppolo didn't suit up:
"I mean, I don't know, we're all football players here. But Jacoby [Brissett], he tore ligaments in his thumb in the win against [the Texans in Week 3]. So we go into Week 4 and I guess Jimmy was practicing and then decided not to play. Jacoby played with no ligaments in his thumb, which you can't do that as a quarterback. You can't grip [the football].
"A lot of guys got mad at it. I'm not going to lie, I got mad about it. I sacrificed my body all day long. I was taking shots for this, numbing up that, ribs, broken ribs, shoulders, Grade 3 hanging on by limbs just to play."
Edelman's comments came after he was made aware of what former Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett said on Double Coverage with The McCourty Twins last October. Bennett criticized Garoppolo, calling him a "b---h" who "quit" on the team on the eve of the Bills game at home while Tom Brady was suspended (via TMZ Sports). Edelman served as Brissett's backup that game, which New England lost 16-0.
Bennett added an NFL team "can't win with a b---h for a quarterback."
If Garoppolo ever returns to Gillette Stadium to reunite with some of his old Patriots teammates, he may want to plan on getting a chilly reception.
