As if competing for an NFL championship weren’t enough pressure on its own, former Patriots star Julian Edelman revealed that he played Super Bowl XLIX knowing NBA legend Michael Jordan had money on the game.
During a recent episode of his podcast Games with Names, Edelman, 37, recounted his 2015 run-in with Jordan, 60, just before the Patriots were set to play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
“The week before Super Bowl 2014, I took my folks to dinner, and I roll up, and I see Derek Jeter and Michael Jordan,” Edelman began.
The former star wide receiver confessed during the episode that he “was super starstruck” when he first spotted the iconic athletes.
“I’m about to play in the Super Bowl, and I go up, and you can tell Jeter is a very charming guy, welcoming,” he continued.
Edelman said he introduced himself to the former MLB star by saying, “Mr. Jeter, Julian Edelman, I’m playing in the Super Bowl,” during the meeting.
“I saw Jordan. He was kind of, like, standoffish a little bit,” the former wide receiver recalled.
“And as soon as the conversation’s about to end, like five minutes in, I’m about to leave, Jordan comes up to me. He goes, ‘Hey kid, I got a bunch of money on you. Don’t f— it up,'” Edelman continued.
“And that’s the only thing he said to me,” Edelman added.
The Patriots, led by Tom Brady, went on to narrowly defeat the Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl LXIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on Feb. 1, 2015.
Edelman retired in 2021 after winning three Super Bowls alongside Brady, 46, whom the team honored with a pre-game tribute in September.
Speaking with PEOPLE after the ceremony in New England, Edelman, Brady’s former teammate and close friend, said the ceremony in New England “was really special” to see.
“I just thought it was an awesome day for him and for New England,” the three-time Super Bowl champ said in September.
“Tom spent a lot of time out there, and that’s probably a second home. I can’t speak for him, but I can imagine with all of his family, his mom and dad going there for 20 years…it was great that everyone was there for it,” Edelman added.
“I thought he had a killer speech, got my juices boiling a little when he ran out and gave the LFG,” Edelman told PEOPLE.
