Patriots: Julian Edelman reveals hilarious Bill Belichick story after 2017 incident

The New England Patriots will have to get used to a passing game without Julian Edelman in the slot, and Edelman will try to make the transition to retired life after choosing to finally walk away from the game following an injury-riddled season.

Edelman’s latest slant seems to be sharing some stories about Bill Belichick and some of the unique coaching methods that he likes to use in order to mold his Patriots teams into the class of the AFC.

His advice for wide receivers is impeccable, as is his method for breaking up confrontations.

The Patriots have developed a reputation for being a bit miserly in free agency, but Belichick chose to spend a ton of money on former Buffalo Bills corner Stephon Gilmore a few years back. When Edelman and the new defensive star got sent home from training camp back in 2017 due to a fight, Belichick supposedly settled the dispute in just about the best way possible.

Edelman claimed on Chris Long’s podcast that Belichick replayed the practice film of him and Gilmore fighting 45 times in complete silence, even challenging Edelman’s manhood.

Apparently, it worked out.

Bill Belichick helped keep Julian Edelman and the Patriots on track.

Belichick is not only the greatest coach who has ever suited up, but he is the king of finding unorthodox solutions to problems like these. Ultimately, his role as the keeper of the peace worked out, as the two eventually cooled off and helped the Patriots win yet another championship.

Very rarely do the Patriots have the sort of inter-team turmoil that often infects the locker room like less stable franchises, but a high-priced cornerback like Gilmore potentially challenging the old guard in Edelman could’ve upset the apple cart a bit. Belichick nipped that in the bud, and Edelman thinks he had some fun while doing so.

Gilmore didn’t make a Pro Bowl in 2017, but he has since made three straight and taken home a Defensive Player of the Year award. Edelman missed that year, but he rebounded with 1,967 yards over the next two seasons. The combination of the two on both sides of the ball played monumental roles in securing another ring.

Training camp dust-ups are nothing to be alarmed about, but being able to make sure everyone gets along is a key ingredient to sustaining success. Edelman continues to peel back the curtain on Belichick, who seems to have missed his calling as a psychologist or marriage counselor given how he’s been able to cool down even the most hotheaded of personalities.

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