There is no secret that Michael Jordan is an avid gambler. Other than golf, the Chicago Bulls legend surely loves to engage himself in various different games of chance. It has been well documented in his storied living that MJ is obsessed with betting and tends to satisfy his wildest urges in cards and chips whenever and wherever possible.
Mike's natural competitiveness extends beyond basketball. As it is, MJ doesn't just gamble as a habit; he plays the games to win. At one point, he couldn't impose much suffocating pressure on Julian Edelman as his stakes were high for the Super Bowl XLIX.
A massive pressure from MJ to win it all
Edelman and his New England Patriots got pitted with the defending champion Seattle Seahawks in one of the most iconic NFL championship games ever in history. With just a week left before the said Super Bowl bout, he suddenly got himself into a fascinating encounter with Jordan and baseball great Derek Jeter.
“The week before Super Bowl 2014, I took my folks to dinner, and I roll up, and I see Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan. I'm like super starstruck. I’m about to play in the Super Bowl, and I go up, and you can tell Jeter is a very charming guy, welcoming.
“I saw Jordan. He was kind of, like, standoffish a little bit," the former wide receiver recalled on his "Games With Names" podcast.
Mesmerized by the experience and in the eventual talk with the two sports icons, the former Patriots receiver suddenly obtained shocking parting words as MJ imposed a massive warning for him to win the big game.
"And as soon as the conversation’s about to end, like five minutes in, I’m about to leave, Jordan comes up to me. He goes, ‘Hey kid, I got a bunch of money on you. Don’t f— it up,'" Edelman elaborated.
"And that's the only thing he said to me. I go, ‘Yes sir, Mr. Jordan.’ I didn’t know what to say [anymore].”
MJ hits the jackpot by siding with Edelman
Thankfully enough, Edelman didn't mess up as he was pivotal with his 9 catches for 109 yards and scored one touchdown to contribute to the Patriots’ triumph over the Seahawks, 28-24. In a tightly contested showdown in The Valley, New England emerged victorious to capture its fourth title overall in franchise history.
While it served as the first Super Bowl triumph of his career for Julian, this ultimate victory couldn't even be sweeter as he was able to live up to his promise in MJ, who surely enjoyed a massive payday out of the Patriots’ championship victory.
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