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Patriots Legend Julian Edelman Reflects on His Favorite Super Bowl Catch
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- Patriots Legend Julian Edelman Reflects on His Favorite Super Bowl Catch
There's a good reason wide receiver Julian Edelman is a New England Patriots legend. He played a key role in three of the team's NFL championships.
In Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks , Edelman led all receivers with 109 yards and he scored the Patriots' go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Two years later, in Super Bowl LI, he made what many people think is the greatest catch in Super Bowl history — keeping New England 's hopes alive as they mounted what would be the greatest comeback win in Super Bowl history. And two years after that, in Super Bowl LIII, Edelman was the game's MVP, catching 10 passes for 141 yards in the Patriots' 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams .
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I asked Edelman, now 40, which one is more memorable to him — the amazing catch from Super Bowl LI or the Super Bowl MVP honor of LIII?
SEE ALSO: Edelman talks Patriots, Receivers and why his beer is better than Troy Aikman's
"I think that 53 was pretty crazy," he said, looking at it as the culmination of a triumphant comeback after missing the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL.
"How the season started, coming off an injury, I was at a real low spot in my life. Just the mental toughness that I didn't think I had to be able to continue to grow and have the end of the season and that season off of the season before. That's a proud moment."
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As for that catch in Super Bowl LI, it was a fourth-quarter Tom Brady pass had been tipped by an Atlanta Falcons defender and was about to hit the turf before Edelman lunged and somehow snagged it for the completion. The play helped New England climb out of that 28-3 hole, force overtime and beat the Falcons.
It's a play Patriots fans will remember forever. However, it's not the one Edelman considers his favorite Super Bowl catch.
"That catch in 51 was awesome, but my favorite catch in the Super Bowl is probably the third-and-like-18 against Legion of Boom when Kam Chancellor hit me," he said.
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For the record, it was third-and-14 from the Patriots' 28-yard line. The Seahawks were leading 24-14 and there was 10:58 left in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIX. Brady hit Edelman in the middle of the field for a 21-yard gain.
Later in that drive, faced with third-and-8, Edelman made another 21-yard reception. The drive ended with a Danny Amendola TD catch that closed the score to within 24-21. With 2:06 left to play, Edelman caught a 3-yard TD pass that gave the Patriots a 28-24 lead, which would be the final score.
"I thought that was a cool catch," Edelman said of the third-and-14 grab, "because that was like a play me and my dad used to… my dad used to throw me balls in the street. And when I was like real young, before I was even playing, and he'd always say like, "Give me a down-and-in." And I'd go and I'd run a down-and-in, and he'd hit me and I'd catch it and he says, "Can you make the catch when Ronnie Lott hits ya?" And I'd always say, "Yeah, I can."
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And Kam Chancellor, man, that guy's a beast. He lit me up, and to be able to make that catch and continue that part of the game, that was kind of a microcosm of my life."
Related: Julian Edelman Talks Patriots, Wide Receivers and Why His Beer Is Better Than Troy Aikman's
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
