In 2017, it was a torn ACL. In 2018, it was a four-game suspension. But in 2019, Julian Edelman finally is ready to go for Week 1.
The Patriots wide receiver missed nearly a month of training camp and the preseason due to a broken thumb and appeared to re-aggravate during New England's preseason finale against the New York Giants.
On Friday morning, though, Edelman confirmed his thumb shouldn't hamper him Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"It's a thumbs up, man. Thumbs up," Edelman told WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show."
Despite that thumb ailment, Edelman added he's in a better place physically than he was at this point last year, when he was shaking off the rust of a 2017 lost to his ACL injury.
"I mean, you have a foundation this year," Edelman said, via WEEI.com. "Last year you're running on fumes a little bit because you start from square zero with your knee and then you come back and you're expected to do high velocity, high tempo, high athletic things with something that is very brand new to your body.
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"It's definitely a better starting place this year, mentally. You also feel it physically. Emotionally, you feel it there. You're feeling pretty good, especially coming off that whole year of such a grind last year with the knee."
The Patriots will need Edelman at his best. The 33-year-old led the Patriots in receiving yards (850) last season despite missing four games and is Tom Brady's most trusted target in an offense tasked with filling Rob Gronkowski's massive void.
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