The Patriots Jewish all-purpose player

The NFL is much more like MLB than the NBA when it comes to members who also double as Members of the Tribe.

The NBA is a desert, and not the one that Moses and the Israelites wandered. But baseball has a handful of Jewish stars—Ryan Braun might even be named MVP of the National League tomorrow.

No Jews in the NFL are that good. I can’t even think of any that fall into the category of fantasy football fill-ins. But if you were watching the Patriots on Monday Night Football, then you probably noticed a little guy named Edelman returning a punt for a touchdown. And maybe, like me, you started to wonder: Is Julian Edelman Jewish?

Edelman has been in the NFL since 2009, and is playing on offense, defense and special teams for the Patriots this season. And it turns out that The Great Rabbino answered this question back then:

Edelman’s father IS Jewish but mother IS NOT. Edelman considers himself Jewish, which is good enough for TGR.

Like me, Edelman was raised Christian. Still, Jew or Not a Jew gives him the label: “Barely a Jew.”