New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman battled through numerous injuries throughout the season, ranging from an AC joint separation in his shoulder, a knee issue, and a banged-up rib.
Edelman's injuries were so serious, as a matter of fact, that offseason surgery has not been ruled out, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
Howe did not specify which injury might require surgery.
The health issues did not stop Edelman from playing in every game this season, nor did it prevent him from achieving a career-high 1,117 receiving yards. He also hauled in 100 receptions while scoring six touchdowns.
However, Edelman clearly showed signs of wear and tear toward the end of the year, as he logged just 13 catches over his final four games, including the Patriots' Wild Card Round playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans in which he finished with just three grabs for 30 yards.
The 33-year-old, who played his collegiate football as a quarterback at Kent State, was originally selected by New England in the seventh round (232nd pick overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.
Edelman instantly moved to wide receiver, but he primarily specialized in special teams over his first four seasons.
It was not until the 2013 campaign that Edelman became a significant part of the Pats' offense, as he caught 105 passes for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns that season.
Since then, Edelman has been Tom Brady's most reliable receiver, outside of the 2017 campaign where he missed the entire season due to a torn ACL.
The Patriots won 12 games and captured their 11th straight AFC East division title this season.
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