Thinking of 49ers, Patriots’ Julian Edelman has ‘Jerry Rice Hill’ to thank

When Julian Edelman faces his hometown team Sunday, he’ll have a chance to show off for the old neighborhood.

One resident in particular.

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice — “Mr. Rice,” to Edelman — lived near Edelman’s Redwood City home. And Edelman dated Rice’s daughter, Jaqui, while both were at Woodside High School. He took her to the prom.

But that’s not why he was shy around her father.

“He was so busy with football it wasn’t anything like me being able to ask any questions. I was too terrified of him because he was the G.O.A.T. and he was a god in our area,” the Super Bowl LIII MVP said Friday of Super Bowl XXIII’s MVP as New England prepared to face the 49ers. “He’s definitely been an inspiration, for his work ethic and how seriously he took his craft.”

A 10-time All-Pro selection who is the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, Rice was known not just for his physical skills but also for his grueling workouts. At 5-foot-10 — 4 inches shorter than Rice — Edelman figured he would have to make his way in football with the latter.

So if Rice built his leg strength by running up a hill in a neighborhood park, Edelman was going to climb the same route, a 2.5 to 3-mile incline known as “Jerry Rice Hill” that would leave the would-be football star vomiting.

“Anything that was hard or anything was ‘Jerry Rice something,’” Edelman explained. “It was folklore. It was known that Jerry Rice used to go out and run that hill, and everyone knew about his work ethic.”

Whatever Edelman is doing has been working.

The Kent State quarterback turned NFL receiver had three 1,000-yard receiving seasons with Tom Brady throwing the football his way. But it’s in the postseason where Edelman has truly excelled:...