Braylon Edwards saved a few errant passes in his historic career with the Michigan Wolverines and in the NFL, but probably made the his most important save yet when he intervened in an attack on Friday.
Detroit news outlet WDIV reported that the wide receiver saved an 80-year-old’s life in a YMCA locker room in Farmington Hills, Mich. about 30 minutes outside of the “Motor City.” While recounting the story, Edwards said that he walked into the locker room after his workout and heard a little bit of scuffling about “someone playing some music too loud.” He decided to mind his own business before he could tell the situation escalated.
“I heard a thud,” he said. “That’s what got me up. That’s what got me to turn around.”
Edwards said he found a 25-year-old man beating up the 80-year-old victim.
“He grabs the back of the victim’s head by the hair and he was about to slam it down on the counter,” the Wolverines’ all-time leading receiver recalled. “I grabbed him, subdued him.”
Edwards said that he “didn’t know it was that serious” and thought maybe the extent of the victim’s injuries was a concussion. He realized that he probably did save the man’s life after police told him about the severity of the situation.
“At the end of the day, I was just, that’s what you do,” he said. “People go to work out, they have a good time, they live 80 years, and this isn’t how they expect for something maybe (to) take their life. … My mom, my grandmother, my father, in that moment, when you come back home, these are the people you think about.”
The names of the victim and the alleged assailant have not been made public. Police said the 25-year-old man ran away from the YMCA after the incident and local schools were placed on lockdown. The suspect was arrested for attacking both the older man and someone who stopped the fight, who turned out to be Edwards.
Edwards hopes to meet the victim of the attack, who is still in the hospital and is expected to recover from his injuries.
The Detroit native leads Michigan in career receiving yards, catches and receiving touchdowns. He is also third in Big 10 history in receiving yards and receptions. The Cleveland Browns selected him as the No. 3 overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft. He played eight seasons in the NFL, also spending time with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. He had his lone 1,000-yard receiving season in 2007 with the Browns.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Braylon Edwards saves 80-year-old man from locker room attack
