Julian Edelman might have to play quarterback for the Patriots Thursday night against the Texans.
If that happens, Edelman’s father told ESPN.com what to expect.
Frank Edelman coached his son in youth football all the way to high school, and he sounded like a coach just as much as he did a father when assessing his son’s ability to play quarterback.
“Can Jules do it? Yeah, he could definitely do it. But could he do it well? I’m just not sure,” he said. “I don’t know how many picks he would throw. I’ll say this: He does know the offense like the back of his hand. That wouldn’t be a problem.”
Rookie Jacoby Brissett will start for the Patriots because Jimmy Garoppolo has an AC joint sprain in his shoulder. If Garoppolo doesn’t dress for the game, Edelman would be the backup quarterback.
At this time, the Patriots are not expected to have QB Jimmy Garoppolo in uniform for tonight’s game, per source.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 22, 2016
Julian Edelman was a quarterback at Kent State before the Patriots drafted him in the seventh round in 2009. The only NFL pass he’s thrown is a big one, a 51-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola to tie the Ravens 28-28 in a 2014 AFC divisional playoff game that the Patriots won 35-31 on their way to winning Super Bowl XLIX.
Catching passes is how Julian Edelman makes his money, and his father said that the muscle he’s added in his career isn’t ideal for quarterback mechanics.
If he were coaching his son at quarterback against the Texans, Frank Edelman said he’d have him run with the ball as much as possible. But dad won’t have much say in the game plan if his son is called upon.
“I’d be a nervous wreck watching,” he said.
