The Story Behind Julian Edelman’s Bright Yellow Practice Shirt Revealed

New England Patriots wide receiver was in the center of all events lately, and this time something else caught our attention. His yellow practice shirt.

The wide receiver was filling headlines this summer, and his four-game suspension was the hottest topic. Edelman will sit out the first four games of the regular season, but he was allowed to join the team during practice. Wearing his yellow practice shirt.

Is this Edelman’s lucky shirt? Luckily, we know the story behind the shirt, and you can’t even guess what’s going on out there.

It’s easy to spot Edelman walking up the stairs to the practice field. Yellow shirts are spotted from long dinstance. Edelman is wearing this shirt under his jersey, and he’s the only Patriot to wear such thing. That’s why we can spot him easily.

The same happens when Edelman heads to the interview area at training camp or when reporters surround him at the corner locker after each practice. You can’t ignore anything painted in yellow.

The story behind the shirt is older than the career of most Patriots.

“When people ask me about it, I always say, ‘What does Popeye say?’ I am what I am,” the wide receiver responded.
Julian Edelman is a proud Kent State alum, a respected member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

The yellow shirt has the Golden Flash logo and the words “Kent State football” on the left side. The school’s longtime equipment manager Clifton Ragin delivered it to him seven years ago. It happened in Edelman’s second year in the league. This is the shirt Edelman wears under his jerseys in almost every practice. “I have a couple others, but this is my practice one,” Edelman said.

This may not be a superstition, but it’s sure his lucky shirt. “Nah, I don’t know. Wes used to wear his Texas Tech shirt, so I started wearing my Kent State,” Edelman responded to the question about any possible superstition.