Julian Edelman Says Tom Brady Liked To Sniff Chicken Wings Before Games

Tom Brady has always had his own way of doing things — from his strict diet to his fitness and sleep routine. Sure, most of his habits were carefully calculated for peak performance. But according to Julian Edelman, the future Hall of Famer did plenty of weird stuff, too.

Appearing on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show last week, Edelman spilled some dirt on his former quarterback — including one story about a funny pregame ritual.

"The guy would sit and, like, smell the chicken wings the night before the game while the offensive linemen are over there taking down chicken wings," Edelman said.

"You have the same food every pregame meal, and there’d always be chicken wings. And you’d see Tom just sit there — and you know he loved a chicken wing — but he had to use that mental toughness and that chin strength and just walk right by it, give it a smell only."

Edelman continued: "He preaches the TB12 sh-t, but he really does live it."

Brady developed the TB12 method with the help of Alex Guerrero, and Edelman said the QB put full faith in his trainer.

"I love Alex," the former New England Patriots receiver said. "I would incorporate a lot of their stuff, their techniques, their body work, some of their dietitian or whatever, their diet restrictions. I would incorporate a lot of it.

"He is a smart guy, Alex Guerrero. I mean, Tom believes anything he says. And he played forever, so as a young player, you know, you have no choice but like, 'Hey, yeah, I'm gonna believe him, too.'"

But maybe not everything he says…

"He could literally say, 'Tom, if you eat this dog sh-t right here, it's gonna make you better.' Tom would eat it," Edelman said. "I'm not joking."

Hey, whatever helps you win seven Super Bowls, I guess.