Getty Images Julian Edelman is set to make his return on Thursday Night Football
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman hasn’t played a single game in the NFL since the 2016 season. Last year, Edelman’s season was derailed due to a torn ACL that he suffered before the season even began. As he was set to make his comeback in September, he got himself into a little bit of trouble with the NFL.
Edelman would soon find out that he was being suspended for four games due to PED use. The Patriots evidently missed Edelman’s services on the field as they have had a bit of a slow start as they are currently 2-2 on the season. Last week, the Patriots finished off the division-leading Miami Dolphins with ease and will look forward to getting Tom Brady’s favorite target back on Thursday Night Football against the Indianapolis Colts.
As Edelman should make a clear difference for the Patriots offense, the only thing anybody is worried about is what kind of shape he will be in since he couldn’t be around the team’s facilities. So, Edelman decided to stay local and continued to work out the Boston Celtics facility.
Edelman versus Hayward in… Ping-Pong?
Being that Edelman was at a basketball facility during his four-week absence, he’s had a different experience being there. An ESPN report stated that during his downtime, Edelman would play Ping-Pong with Boston Celtics forward, Gordon Hayward. And although Hayward credited him for being a solid Ping-Pong opponent, Edelman was only able to defeat the former tennis star once out of ten games.
According to the ESPN report, Hayward credited Edelman for being a tough opponent. Although Edelman could only sneak one win out of the series battle, Hayward made it very clear that he put up a good fight. Apparently, it was so entertaining that after a few matches they had a crowd watching.
It’s highly doubtful that Edelman’s return to the football field will be helped at all by Hayward’s tough Ping-Pong game, but at least we know that Edelman didn’t lose his competitive edge while serving his suspension. The veteran wideout and Tom Brady should get back right to where they left off in Thursday nights matchup.