As a cab whisked me from Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport to my downtown hotel Sunday night, I did a double take, thinking I'd seen Julian Edelman strolling on a sidewalk as we whipped past.
Nah.
What would one of the New England Patriots' biggest stars be doing by himself … on the streets of Atlanta … at night … after he himself had just arrived with the rest of his team earlier in the day? And short white guys sporting bushy beards and nondescript hoodies are probably a dime a dozen on a cool winter evening.
Right?
Welp, turns out it was Edelman. And even though Falcons fans may not hold the star slot receiver in high esteem — his shoestring catch off a deflected pass was one of the key plays that fueled New England's epic comeback against Atlanta in Super Bowl LI — Edelman has quickly formed an affinity for the town serving as his home for the week leading up to Super Bowl LIII.
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"I did go on a little adventure," Edelman told USA Today Sports on Wednesday with a laugh.
"I just went on a walk. I was like a block away from where (Martin Luther King Jr.) was born, and I just wanted to kinda see it. No one was really in for the Super Bowl yet. … It was cool to see the little restaurants and joints — soulful looking stuff — it just seemed cool, and I wanted to go check it out."
Edelman perused the city's Old Fourth Ward and another spot he admitted "was kind of sketch."
He was never recognized and even got treated to a spontaneous tour from a stranger.
"I ended up walking with this guy for 30 minutes who didn't know who I was," Edelman chuckled.
"It was cool, I enjoyed it."
The Patriots have played in the ATL only once in Edelman's 10-year career, a win in 2013 when he had seven grabs for 118 yards but no opportunity to paint the town red.
"All my friends say it's a cool town," said Edelman, who's never come to Atlanta on a nonfootball trip.
"Getting to see it, it seems pretty live. I would like to check it out."
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