Julian Edelman, New England Patriots. (Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)
Julian Edelman has no business getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame before these 11 guys.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is no laughing matter, and it is a joke that former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is even being considered by some for Canton enshrinement.
For a former seventh-round pick out of Kent State, the former MACtion quarterback had quite a career for himself at the NFL level. He played 11 seasons over 12 years in Patriots uniform. Edelman finished with 620 receptions for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns. While he was a three-time Super Bowl champion in New England, he still has no Pro Bowls or All-Pros to show for it.
These 11 guys deserve a gold jacket WAY MORE than Edelman, and everybody knows it.
11 wide receivers who deserve to be in Canton over Julian Edelman
- Cliff Branch: (501 receptions, 8,685 yards, 67 touchdowns, four Pro Bowls, three All-Pros, three Super Bowls)
- Henry Ellard: (814 receptions, 13,777 yards, 65 touchdowns, three Pro Bowls, two All-Pros)
- Torry Holt: (869 receptions, 12,660 yards, 74 touchdowns, seven Pro Bowls, one All-Pro, one Super Bowl, 2000s All-Decade Team)
- Harold Jackson: (579 receptions, 10,372 yards, 76 touchdowns, five Pro Bowls, one All-Pro)
- Andre Johnson: (1,062 receptions, 14,185 yards, 70 touchdowns, seven Pro Bowls, two All-Pros)
- Sterling Sharpe: (595 receptions, 8,134 yards, 65 touchdowns, five Pro Bowls, three All-Pros)
- Steve Smith: (1,031 receptions, 14,731 yards, 81 touchdowns, five Pro Bowls, two All-Pros, one Comeback Player of the Year)
- John Taylor: (347 receptions, 5,598 yards, 43 touchdowns, three Super Bowls, two Pro Bowls, 1980s All-Decade Team)
- Otis Taylor: (410 receptions, 7,306 yards, 57 touchdowns, three Pro Bowls, two All-Pros, two AFL Championships, one Super Bowl)
- Hines Ward: (1,000 receptions, 12,083 yards, 85 touchdowns, four Pro Bowls, two Super Bowls)
- Reggie Wayne: (1,070 receptions, 14,345 yards, 82 touchdowns, 6 Pro Bowls, one All-Pro, one Super Bowl)
As you can see, there are several players who have been waiting for Canton enshrinement for a very long time ahead of a guy like Edelman. This list doesn’t even include other recently retired wide receivers like Brandon Marshall or Roddy White, not to mention the half-dozen playing in the game today who are virtual locks for the Canton like Antonio Brown, Larry Fitzgerald or Julio Jones.
While Edelman had an excellent career with the Patriots, he does not belong in Canton at all.