Patriots' Julian Edelman Compares Himself to Yoda While Discussing Young Wide Receivers

Heading into the Sunday afternoon battle with the Dallas Cowboys in week 12, there were concerns [...]

Heading into the Sunday afternoon battle with the Dallas Cowboys in week 12, there were concerns about young receiver N'Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers given that the two rookies would be lining up next to Julian Edelman with most of the nation watching. With this in mind, did the veteran provide any much-needed guidance, much like a Jedi Master? It's entirely possible, but Edelman would not divulge his secrets to prying reporters.

"I mean, I don't think Yoda would go out there and tell his secrets of how he trains Jedis," Edelman said to reporters on Friday. "I'm not saying anything." Although he did back away from the comparison to Yoda, saying that he has just been watching Star Wars lately and has it on the mind.

While Edelman did not explicitly say what he told his young teammates, there was a belief that it was along the lines of "do or do not. There is no try." Harry responded with his first career touchdown reception while Meyers reached 74 yards on the evening, including a couple of third-down conversions.

The New England Patriots appear to have Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes on the mind in recent weeks. Edelman compared himself to Yoda during a Friday press conference while quarterback Tom Brady quoted the Jedi Master on Twitter amid the "Baby Yoda" craze. Are the Patriots watching some of George Lucas' creations as a team-building exercise?

Whether or not they are watching cinema in the locker room, the Patriots are finding success in the NFL once again. This team is now 10-1 and have an opportunity to lock up a spot in the playoffs on Sunday night. All they have to do is defeat the Houston Texans in enemy territory and hope for a loss by the Oakland Raiders or Pittsburgh Steelers.

In order to reign victorious on Sunday night, Brady will need his young wide receivers to step up once again. Yoda, AKA Edelman, has been the reliable veteran presence in the receiving corps. for years, but he would benefit from having the young Jedi contribute with even more big plays.

Whether or not Harry and Meyers show up in a major way remains to be seen, but Edelman has faith in their abilities. He has been working with them in practice and sharing some tricks of the trade. He just won't divulge every detail.

"They're doing a good job, man," Edelman said. "They're young. They're going out and they're playing in ball games, making plays. I just kind of convey that you gotta continue to do that every week, every day, in practice. When you're consistent in practice, that practice execution gives you the best chance to go out and execute on game days. I'm excited for them and the opportunity they're getting and that they've earned. It's up to them to see where they go. I got a lot of confidence in them. They work hard. And we need 'em."

Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty

0comments