Patriots icon Julian Edelman recounts Michael Jordan's explicit Super Bowl XLIX warning over 'bunch of money': "Don't f—k it up"
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman recently recounted an encounter with NBA legend Michael Jordan before Super Bowl XLIX in 2014.
The Patriots were set to play the Seattle Seahawks in a game that was a pick'em on the betting line as many were torn on who would win. However, Jordan was confident the Patriots would win the Super Bowl, so he apparently wagered a ton of money on the game.
A week before the showdown, Edelman said he went out for dinner with his parents when he saw Jordan and Derek Jeter. The basketball superstar approached him and told him he had a ton of money on the receiver and the Patriots.
"I was super starstruck," Edelman said on his podcast, 'Games With Names.' "I'm about to play in the Super Bowl, and I go up, and you can tell Jeter is a very charming guy, welcoming. 'Mr. Jeter, Julian Edelman, I'm playing the Super Bowl.' I saw Jordan. He was kind of like standoffish a little bit.
"And as soon as the conversation's about to end, like five minutes in, I'm about to leave, Jordan comes up to me. He goes, 'Hey, kid, I got a bunch of money on you. Don't f--- it up.' And that's the only thing he said to me."
Timestamp: 12:50
The Patriots, led by Tom Brady and coached by Bill Belichick, ended up winning Super Bowl 49 over the Seattle Seahawks 28-24, as New England scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to come back.
Edelman had a solid game as he caught nine passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown catch came with just over two minutes to go in the fourth quarter and gave the Patriots the lead.
Julian Edelman's NFL career
Julian Edelman was picked in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. The Kent State alum notched 359 receiving yards in his rookie season in 2009 but became a star in 2013 as he recorded 1,035 receiving yards.
Julian Edelman totaled 620 receptions for 6,822 yards and 36 receiving touchdowns in his career.
Edelman won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and was the Super Bowl MVP in 2018. After a 12-year career, Edelman announced his retirement at the end of the 2020 season.