It doesn't matter if Julian Edelman is a Hall of Famer because he's already a legend

This is the Morning Win, by Andy Nesbitt. 

Julian Edelman retired from the NFL on Monday, spending all 12 years of his his career with the New England Patriots.

He retires with three Super Bowl rings and a Super Bowl MVP award.

He retires with the second most postseason catches (118) and yards (1,442), trailing just the great Jerry Rice in both of those categories.

Those are some pretty darn good accomplishments to have on your resume when you finally decide to hang ’em up.

As soon as Edelman posted his retirement video on Twitter, though, lots and lots of people started debating whether or not he’s a Hall of Famer.

The people against his Hall of Fame hopes pointed out his regular season stats and how they don’t have the look of a Hall of Famer.

Those that do think he should be in the Hall point out those monster postseason stats and those big touchdowns and ridiculous catches he made on the biggest stage and say all of that should get him to Canton.

Both sides were pretty heated and ready with stats to back up their feelings and if you stepped back and took a look at both sides you could see why each side felt the way they did.

But here’s my feeling – it doesn’t matter if Edelman becomes a Hall of Famer or not because he’ll always be a legend and you can’t take that away from him.

Now, you may get upset with me for using the word “legend” here. But that’s exactly what he is in the New England area. The stuff he did on the football field for the Patriots will never be forgotten by the fans of the team. That catch he made against the Falcons in the Super Bowl will be replayed from now until the end of time. The number of times he went over the middle and made something happen when the offense desperately needed something to happen can’t be erased.

Edelman was a special player, one who Bill Belichick loved and one who Belichick celebrated on Monday with very high praise.

The college QB started as a punt returner in the NFL and worked his way into becoming a stud of a receiver. He could throw for touchdowns, too, on trick plays that devastated defenses.

Edelman could basically do anything asked of him and keep coming back for more, only to deliver so much more with each opportunity.

A gold jacket and a bust in Canton would be nice, sure. But then again Hall of Fames are really just silly museums that are more fun to debate than to visit.

The Edelman HOF debate will rage on for the next few days and again when he becomes eligible. Chances are he will never get the call but that won’t really matter all that much.

Nobody can take away those three rings, that Super Bowl MVP award, that catch against the Falcons, and all of those impressive postseason stats. When it mattered most, Edelman was there.

Edelman doesn’t need some spot in a museum to let him know that what he did over the last 12 years was special.

The things he accomplished will do just that and so will the fans who were lucky enough to go along for the ride.

Quick hits: Bowler nails 7-10 split… Doncic sinks ridiculous trick shot… NHL trade deadline winners and losers… And more. 

– A pro bowler nailed a 7-10 split and the announcers absolutely lost their minds. You really need to watch this video.

– Luka Doncic’s ridiculous juggling pregame trick shot had NBA fans in awe.

– Mary Clarke breaks down the winners and losers of the NHL trade deadline. Mary also graded all the major deals.

– Season 3 of The Sneak, a true crime podcast with a sports twist from USA TODAY and For The Win, premiered last week. In the new season, we investigate the mysterious disappearance of Mario Rossi — a brilliant NASCAR crew chief and engineer who vanished in 1983 — and how it may be connected to a $300 million drug-smuggling ring that infiltrated motor sports. You can listen to The Sneak on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you get your podcasts. The first two episodes debuted together, and one episode will be released each week for the next six weeks. If you can’t wait, you can also binge the entire third season, ad free, now on the Wondery Plus app. Click here to learn more about Season 3 of The Sneak.