Julian Edelman may retire after Pats terminate contract?

Julian Edelman Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Julian Edelman may retire after Patriots terminate contract?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Apr 12, 2021 5:01 PM ET

Reports surfaced in late February that three-time Super Bowl champion wide receiver and Super Bowl LIII Most Valuable Player Julian Edelman may struggle to return to the field following knee surgery.

On Monday, the New England Patriots terminated Edelman's contract.

The #Patriots have terminated the contract of WR Julian Edelman, per the wire. He’s listed as a failed physical.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 12, 2021

According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Edelman may not be looking for a new NFL home this offseason.

While Julian Edelman showed up on today's transaction wire as having his contract terminated by the Patriots, Edelman has been mulling retirement and this could just be a precursor to that announcement.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 12, 2021

Reiss later reported "the roster move is expected to be a technicality as part of" Edelman's retirement.

Some will quickly link Edelman with what they feel is an inevitable discounted move to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so he can reunite with former New England teammates Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Such a storybook ending may work out well in editions of "Madden," but Edelman turns 35 years old in May and has a lengthy injury history that could scare off any would-be employer and prevent him from playing over a month of meaningful contact football.

He appeared in just six games during the 2020 season.

Let the debates about Edelman's Hall of Fame candidacy begin.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

More must-reads: