Edelman warms up before the Patriots' preseason debut. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Julian Edelman missed all of last season with a torn A-C-L, so you shouldn’t have been surprised to see the Patriots receiver sprint down the field for pre-game introductions, capped by a leaping fist-pump to fire up the crowd.
The guy was amped!
"It was just fun," he said. "The nerves were juiced, and I was just excited to get out there and get to play football."
Edelman wasn’t targeted in his 16 offensive snaps in his first game since last August 25th, but he did appear open on a pair of third-down plays.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "Of course you always want the ball...Hoyer...but it was just good to go out there and hit guys, and have guys around you cutting on turf. It was definitely a fun step."
Most importantly--did Julian get his legs back?
"You're always trying to get your legs back under you," he said. "I think I'm a week better than last week, so I'm trying to go out there and get 'em a little more next week."
Edelman will miss the first four games of the regular season because of a suspension for performance-enhancers.
Pats will host the Eagles in their next exhibition Thursday.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports