Julian Edelman admits Tom Brady's Patriots exit forced team to overhaul playcalls

Former wide receiver Julian Edelman has confirmed what everyone has long thought since the conclusion of the 2020 season: Tom Brady's departure forced Bill Belichick to reimagine everything about the Patriots offense.

Edelman went into detail on The Rich Eisen Show about the changes that were made by Belichick's support staff to accommodate new personnel under center and in the wide receiver room:

“At the end of my last year there, it was getting pretty complex. In college, all these guys are doing [something where] one word calls everyone a play. So then [the Patriots] were subbing formations with words, so zero-out slot was now Rome, so I could see them trying to simplify to allow the guys to play fast.

The ex-Patriots wideout added:

"Ultimately if you know something, you could have six plays, and if you run them perfectly against everything, and you run those six plays damn good every single time, you should be able to be alright. So I could see them doing that."

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Julian Edelman wouldn't return to the NFL just to play with Tom Brady

Most would assume Edelman would want to pull off a similar power play to Rob Gronkowski and follow Brady to Tampa Bay to become a member of the Buccaneers. But in June, the slot receiver spoke about his return (via the New York Post) when asked about a potential comeback. And it doesn't include sporting red, orange, and black in the Sunshine State. Instead, it mentions a return to where he spent his entire career:

"I don't know, we'll see. That’s called a little teaser. We'll see. We're staying in shape, but you never know. But I'd probably go back to the Patriots. I love the Patriots. Foxborough forever."

With Mac Jones looking like a true replacement for Brady in Foxborough, the prospect of returning to the Patriots is attractive for Edelman.

With another go-round with Bill Belichick and co., the 36-year-old can help prove that New England didn't just win because of the NFL's great quarterback.

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If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Rich Eisen Show, the New York Post, and H/T Sportskeeda.