Longtime NFL star Julian Edleman showed up at New England Patriots training camp practice on Tuesday.
The ex-Patriot was a special on-field guest for his former team’s joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders in Henderson, Nevada.
Edleman of course has a close relationship with both head coaches on either side of the field: his former New England head coach Bill Belichick and former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
The NFL world took to Twitter to react to this surprise appearance.
“Sign Julian to a one year deal RIGHT NOW!!!!” one fan suggested.
“I’im telling you, edelman is coming back,” another said.
Edelman retired after the 2020 season — his 11th year after he was selected by the Patriots with a seventh-round pick in the 2009 draft. The three-time Super Bowl champion sited injury issues as his main reason for hanging up the cleats.
Earlier this month though, Edelman hinted at a possible return to the NFL sometime this season.
“I’ll tell you right now, if I had three weeks, three maybe four weeks — beginning of the season, absolutely not,” Edelman said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. “But if there’s a team vying for a playoff run, guy goes down. Could I get ready? I probably could. … You can never say never.”
Could Edelman be scouting a possible return with either of these two teams?