SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 20: Danny Amendola #80 of the New England Patriots celebrates with Julian Edelman #11 after scoring on a five-yard catch against the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 20, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Danny Amendola, who played 13 seasons in the NFL, is no stranger to concussions.

While speaking on The Ryen Russillo Podcast a few years ago, he estimated that he averaged one concussion per season early in a long career that included stops in St. Louis, New England, Miami, Detroit, and Houston.

He claimed at the time the helmets improved so much over his career that he didn’t get a concussion in his final five seasons.

Former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman also suffered some concussions as well, but both former teammates did not always state that to the team.

On Games With Names podcast, former New England Patriots receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola told their concussion stories, which also included their plan to stay on the field in the event of one.

“One time you looked at me and said, ‘Dola, if I get hit one more time in the head and I see that star again I’m gonna have to retire,’ Amendola recalled. “I think he saw the star seven more times that year and played for like seven more years after that.”

The two were teammates from 2013 to 2017. The duo would win two Super Bowls together in 2014 and 1016.

Both of them would then speak about the pact they had when it came to kickoffs and punts.

“One of us would get knocked out, then the other one would come peel us off the ground so we didn’t have to miss the game then possibly the next game,” Amendola said. “Because we had incentives on playing, so it was like, when I come over to you get dung on punt return, I’ll come pick them up and I’ll say, ‘Grab your knee grab your knee.”

“And so we were trying to beat the system.”
Edelman caught 620 passes for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns in 137 career games. In 19 playoff games, he caught 118 passes for 1,442 yards and five scores.

During his career, Amendola returned 198 punts for 1,860 yards and 153 kickoffs for 3,590 yards.