Former Michigan Wolverines star stops ‘vicious assault’ of 80-year-old man
It’s curious because I’m pretty sure that the average person hasn’t talked about Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards in ages. However, since Braylon Edwards happens to be the all-time favorite college football player of my friend Collin, I can’t be considered average. Today, we discovered that even Braylon Edwards isn’t your typical individual. For a brief moment in the locker room at a YMCA in suburban Detroit, he became a hero.
“If it hadn’t been for that timely intervention, we could be discussing a potential fatality,” stated Jeff King, the police chief in Farmington Hills, Michigan. King was referring to Braylon Edwards stepping in and saving the life of an 80-year-old man who was on the brink of being killed by a 20-year-old during a dispute over loud music last weekend.
“He truly rescued that man from a dire situation,” expressed King to The Associated Press. “Having been a police officer for almost 29 years, I understand that things can escalate quickly during assaults, leading to catastrophic outcomes.”
Speaking to WDIV-TV after the incident, Edwards shared, “The noise was getting louder, and then I could hear some commotion, which sounded like a scuffle. But when I heard a heavy thud, that’s when I sprang into action.”
In contrast to his swift response at the Farmington Hills YMCA, Braylon Edwards did not have an immediate impact during his time with the Michigan Wolverines. While he struggled to make an impact in his freshman year at Michigan, he excelled in his final three seasons in Ann Arbor. Edwards amassed impressive statistics at Michigan, with 252 receptions (3rd in Big Ten history), 3,503 receiving yards (3rd in Big Ten history), and 39 touchdowns (1st in Big Ten history). He finished tenth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2004 and remains the lone wide receiver in Big Ten history to achieve three consecutive seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Despite not meeting the high expectations set for him post-college, Braylon Edwards carved out a successful eight-year career in the NFL. Across 112 games, he accumulated 359 receptions, 5,522 yards, and 40 touchdowns. These are impressive numbers by any standard. The pinnacle of his NFL career came in his third season when he earned a Pro Bowl selection and was named a 2nd Team All-Pro after finishing with 80 receptions, 1,289 yards, and 16 touchdowns, the 15th-highest single-season touchdown total in NFL history.
