Julian Edelman isn’t catching passes for the New England Patriots anymore, but he’s still a legend in Boston. The former NFL wide receiver solidified his status during Game 7 of the Celtics-76ers Eastern Conference semifinals series.
During the third quarter of Sunday’s NBA game, the arena’s cameras panned over to Edelman, who was enjoying Boston’s 80-58 lead at the time. The former wide receiver then grabbed his plastic cup and chugged his beer to the delight of thousands.
There might’ve still been about 15 minutes left in the game, but it was a celebration of a Game 7 victory. The Celtics outscored the Sixers 33-10 in the third quarter and cruised to a 112-88 victory.
The Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they’ll face the Miami Heat.
Edelman was a fan favorite in Boston before chugging beers on the jumbotron. He spent all 12 of his years in the NFL with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowl rings and earning Super Bowl LIII MVP honors.
Edelman ended his career with 620 catches for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also accounted for 2,612 return yards and scored an additional four times.
Just because Edelman isn’t playing any longer doesn’t mean he can’t still get cheers from the fans. Downing a beer during a sporting event in front of a huge crowd will almost always get an ovation.
Bizarre moment unfolds between Sixers-Celtics in Game 7
Look at the final score and you’ll believe that Game 7 wasn’t all that entertaining between the Sixers and Celtics. But that game didn’t break open until the third quarter. And in the second quarter, we actually saw one of the more bizarre things unfold.
No, it’s not a reference to Edelman’s beer-chugging skills. It occurred on a play when Jaylen Brown saved a loose ball from going out of bounds in front of Philadelphia’s bench.
Sixers reserve man Georges Niang grabbed hold of Brown’s leg, preventing him from running down the court. After Brown broke free, he turned his attention to the Philly bench.
Official Scott Foster whistled Brown for a technical foul initially, then slapped Niang with one, as well. Hey, whatever it takes to win, right?
Unfortunately for Philadelphia, that maneuver didn’t faze Boston. It might’ve even served as a little fuel in the second half.
Jayson Tatum scored 51 points in the series-deciding game, setting a new Game 7 record in the NBA. So, while it was one-sided in Boston, it was still pretty entertaining.
