Patriots: Julian Edelman recalls terrifying experience reviewing film with Bill Belichick

The New England Patriots made headlines this week when they released Cam Newton, thereby appointing Mac Jones as their starting quarterback.

The move received a ton of drawback from fans, the media and NFL players (current and former) alike. We saw Asante Samuel eviscerate Bill Belichick, albeit totally out of context. Even Julian Edelman felt obligated to comment.

The consensus reaction? Regardless of your previous success in the NFL or with the organization, Belichick will hold you accountable. And in worse-case scenarios, like we saw with Newton, he’ll cut you loose.

As Patriots fans can attest to, Belichick has a long history of butting heads with his players. Whether it be in the film room during practice or smack in the middle of a game, Belichick doesn’t shy away from chastising his players.

Edelman recalled this exact terrifying scenario with Belichick during an appearance on former teammate Chris Long’s “Green Light Podcast.”

Former Patriots WR Julian Edelman recalled a humbling experience while reviewing film with Bill Belichick.

Get a load of this, Patriots fans.

"“I got in a fight with [Stephon] Gilmore,” Edelman said. “(Belichick) puts it on, and he’ll just sit and rewind it like 45 times with silence — silence! And then when he stands up, there’s a guy that his job is to go run and turn the lights on. So it’s, like, majestically turning on. . . .”“So he sits and rewinds it like 45 times, and then he stands up and he goes, ‘What the f— are we doing? We can’t have this.’ He’s just going on and just wringing me like, ‘You know what, Edelman? You over here think you’re a tough guy.’ Just getting on me in front of the team. But I think low-key, he loved it.”"

We know professional athletes have it better than everyone, but Edelman’s quote makes it seem like he was genuinely terrified while Belichick was roasting him in front of the entire team. Did Belichick enjoy it? Probably, but this just goes to show that you need serious mental fortitude to play for the Patriots.

Let’s remember that Edelman was as respected as any player in the Patriots’ locker room when Belichick decided to cook him over the coals.

Whether you’re the longest-tenured player on the team, a captain or multiple-time champ, nobody is safe in the film room after they make a costly mistake…or, in Edelman’s case, get in a fight with a player whom the team just signed to a five-year contract in free agency.

While Edelman might be enjoying retirement, something tells us he doesn’t miss Belichick flaming him in front of his teammates, even though he knew it was probably in the best interest of the team at the time.

Patriots: Julian Edelman has stone-cold response to Bill Belichick releasing Cam Newton

Former New England Patriot Julian Edelman weighed in on Bill Belichick releasing Cam Newton and was very candid with his take.