Category: Gronk

Rob Gronkowski has theory about potential Patriots coaching shakeup

Could a coaching shakeup be on the horizon in New England? Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had an interesting prediction.

Everyone is weighing in on potential changes for the New England Patriots, as the organization spirals downward. That includes former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Gronkowski appeared on the “Up and Adams” show last week and theorized about what might happen following the season. He speculated that offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien might be out of New England after this season.

That doesn’t seem like an outlandish theory, given that the organization may want to clean house. New England sits with a 2-7 record, and if the season ended today, they’d hold the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The offense has struggled, and they are coming off a 17-point effort against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

“I feel like Billy O’Brien might be out of there after this year. So if that’s the case, I think Josh McDaniels comes back as offensive coordinator in New England. That’s for sure,” said Gronkowski. “…I feel like [O’Brien’s] going to take an opportunity. He’s kind of a head coach guy, you know? I feel like he’s going to take an opportunity somewhere else.”

There could be drastic changes made if things do not improve in New England. O’Brien has plenty of coaching experience, and he could land on his feet quickly.

One has to wonder what changes will be made after the season, especially if things continue to trend in the wrong direction.

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Rob Gronkowski shares record prediction for Patriots’ 2023 season

Rob Gronkowski thinks the Patriots will finish with a winning record in 2023.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski put in his record prediction for the New England Patriots in 2023. He has the team going 9-8 on the year.

Gronkowski believes the hallmark for this Patriots team will be its defense. This would make sense, given that the unit was ranked among the best in the NFL in 2022. Nearly their entire unit is returning from last season, along with the debuts of rookies Christian Gonzalez, Keion White and Marte Mapu.

The pieces are there for New England to succeed, even with the hardest schedule in the league. There is no easing into the schedule either, as the team opens up with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 10.

Gronkowski appeared on the “Dan and Ninko Show”, co-hosted by his former teammate, Rob Ninkovich, and gave his thoughts on the 2023 Patriots.

“They got a good defense,” Gronkowski said, via NESN.com’s Tim Crowley. “Solid defense. I don’t think they need to improve in that category. …I think they’re going to be about 9-8. Right around .500.”

An above .500 record would be an improvement after the Patriots finished with an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs last season. It wouldn’t be the massive turnaround fans are hoping for, but it could be a step in the right direction.

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Rob Gronkowski comments on drinking story in typical ‘Gronk’ fashion

Julian Edelman and Patrick Chung called out an ex-teammate’s Rob Gronkowski story as fake. But what did Gronkowski have to say about it?

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Rob Gronkowski appreciated the support from Julian Edelman following a juicy story told by a former teammate.

When appearing on “Primetime with Alex Stein,” via Fox News, former Patriots defensive end Jake Bequette said that Gronkowski used to party out in Boston until the early morning hours. He would then be driven to the Patriots facility, where he would pass out on the training tables.

Edelman did not take too kindly to the story, labeling it “BS” in a tweet over the weekend.

In typical “Gronk” fashion, the legendary tight end retweeted Edelman’s Twitter post and responded with a couple of emojis.

If anything, this shows that Gronk will be Gronk, and the bond between teammates can often never be broken, even with playing days in the past.

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Rob Gronkowski picking up new sport, puts end to NFL return rumors

Rob Gronkowski isn’t done competing, but he’s officially done playing in the NFL.

Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski made a definitive statement earlier this week about whether he will return to the NFL.

The Arizona product had a stellar career, one that included 621 catches for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns. He was also a part of several Super Bowl teams, most recently winning one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 season.

There was a chance that he was going to come back last season and possibly even play for the rival Buffalo Bills. But that did not come to fruition, and he resisted the urge to come out of retirement for a second time. Now, he is certain he will be calling it quits, as he told TMZ Sports over the weekend.

“There’s no chance anymore,” said Gronkowski. “I’m happily retired. I actually picked up pickle ball. I beat my brother, Chris, who plays with pros, and my other brother, Gordon, who plays with pros, too. And I beat them with an average Joe—my other brother, Glenn G., was my partner.”

This effectively puts a bow on what was one of the most dominant careers by a tight end in NFL history. This just goes to show that all good things eventually come to an end.

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Rob Gronkowski’s ‘Kick of Destiny’ was a giant miss

After a massive buildup, Gronk’s big Super Bowl showcase was a colossal whiff

After a massive buildup, complete with live-TV promo appearances and pre-Super Bowl commercial spots, Rob Gronkowski’s “Kick of Destiny” was far more whimper than bang.

The event, a giant ad for FanDuel, fell flatter than an undersized defender trying to tackle prime Gronk in the open field, with Gronk missing the big kick, but the betting website still giving its users a share of $10 million in free bets.

This was almost as big of a letdown as Gronk deciding not to return to the Bucs to finish out the 2022 season.

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Rob Gronkowski bullish on Patriots’ new offensive direction

Rob Gronkowski believes a blast from the past would be a good thing for the Patriots offense.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is pleased with the changes the team has made on the offensive side of the football.

New England struggled offensively last season, as they were at the bottom of the league in many categories. They got decent production from the running game, as Rhamondre Stevenson carried the ball 210 times for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns. Stevenson was also efficient with his caries, averaging five yards per carry.

However, the passing game needed work, as it ranked 20th in passing yards per game and 20th in touchdown passes. Mac Jones had an up-and-down season, recording 2,997 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

With all of that in mind, Gronkowski believes the addition of Bill O’Brien will rejuvenate the Patriots offense, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston’s Nick Goss.

“I was surprised when (Belichick) changed up the offense this year from what I heard and saw as well,” Gronkowski said Tuesday at FOX Sports’ media availability for Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix. “I mean, that offense that I was under throughout my whole career that I was there and I’m pretty sure the whole time he was there from like 2003 — I think that’s one of the best offenses out there. It’s a wonderful system. Just to see them change it this year I think was a little off.

“I think Billy O when I was there, he ran the (same) system. So hopefully he brings it back. Because I think that’s the best scenario for Patriots football — to have that offense that they were depending on throughout the last 20 years. I think they need to bring that back and I think Billy O will.”

New England has a chance to remake the entire offense with some cap space and O’Brien’s style.  Patriots tight ends had success under O’Brien in 2011. The tight end position is something that needs rejuvenation for the current team, and there is a chance O’Brien may be able to provide that.

It will be intriguing to see what moves the organization makes, as DeAndre Hopkins rumors continue to swirl, among other things.

Nevertheless, the effort to improve on the offensive side of the football should be encouraging for Patriots fans, and it certainly is a selling point for Gronkowski.

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Rob Gronkowski believes Bill O’Brien will restore faith in Patriots

Rob Gronkowski thinks the Patriots knocked it out of the park with the Bill O’Brien hiring.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is among those connected to the organization who support the hiring of Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator.

Gronkowski actually had the best season of his career when O’Brien was the Patriots’ offensive coordinator back in 2011. He recorded 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns. It was the season that put him on the map and also helped O’Brien’s coaching stock, as he left New England for Penn State the following season.

Gronkowski appeared on the Up & Adams show on Wednesday and explained why O’Brien was the best hire for the job.

“I love Bill O’Brien. I loved playing for him. I love the energy that he brings to the table,” said Gronkowski. “…His football knowledge is through the roof, and I believe that he’s definitely going to restore the Patriot faithful on the offensive side of the ball.

“He’s going to put his players in the best position to make plays, and he’s going to come up with some creative ideas. And I think they’re definitely going to improve as an offense tremendously under coach Bill O’Brien. That’s who the Patriots had to get. They had to get Bill O’Brien. …I hope they paid head coach money for him, because they definitely had to.”

It is worth noting that tight ends were a big part of the Patriots offense when O’Brien was in town. That sort of offense could be helpful for a Patriots team looking to jump-start the position.

Jonnu Smith has struggled with the team, recording just 55 catches for 539 yards and a touchdown in two seasons with New England. Meanwhile, Hunter Henry had a successful 2021 campaign, but saw his numbers decrease in 2022.

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Rob Gronkowski admits he came close to signing with Patriots division rival

Rob Gronkowski admitted he almost joined the Patriots’ division rival in 2022.

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has a new favorite team to cheer for, and it’s not the Patriots. The tight end revealed that he is switching back to being a Buffalo Bills fan, during an appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce.

Gronkowski was born in Amherst, New York. The tight end grew up cheering for the Bills. He also performed well against the Bills on the field, recording 74 catches for 1,132 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 head-to-head meetings.

His most memorable performance against the Bills came as a member of the Patriots. He had nine catches on 11 targets for 147 yards, averaging 16.3 yards per reception.

Now, he wants to root for his former AFC East rival.

He even admitted that he was in talks with Buffalo at one point to play during the 2022 season.

“I’m kind of a Buffalo Bills fan now, again,” said Gronkowski. “Now that I’m not playing no more I’m like, ‘Dang.’ And I thought about it—how cool that would be to play for the Buffalo Bills. I actually thought about it when Tom [Brady] retired this year. I was like, ‘Alright.’ I didn’t really feel like playing football after this year, and I was like, ‘Ahh, Tom retired.’ I was like, ‘I’m gonna check out some other teams.’

“So I was actually in talks with the Buffalo Bills a little bit. They wanted me to come up there. It just wasn’t there, though. If my mindset was there, I would probably most likely be in Buffalo right now playing with the Bills.”

Gronkowski most recently played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. He recorded 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns. He played 11 years in the league overall, including nine with New England.

Although hypothetical, a Josh Allen-Rob Gronkowski tandem would have been intriguing to see in action, and frightening for Patriots fans.

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Rob Gronkowski peeled back the curtains on what losing was really like with Patriots

Rob Gronkowski admitted losing with the Patriots was like a “super depression.”

Yes, Rob Gronkowski played for the New England Patriots, but he also isn’t afraid to admit he’s not a huge fan of the Patriots’ team culture.

The former NFL tight end and was drafted by the Patriots back in 2010. He played for nine seasons with the organization, winning three Super Bowls and finishing his tenure with 7,861 receiving yards on the team.

Gronkowski was not a fan of New England’s culture, despite all of the success. He recently appeared on Kay Adams’ “Up & Adams” show and offered a brutal, yet honest, take on what he felt a day after a victory in New England was like.

“A regular season game with the Patriots, actually, throughout my 20s, if we won a game, the next day, it felt like we still lost a game. And if we lost a game, it felt like you were in super depression for like two days at the Patriots or like, for the whole week.

“So, that’s what made you really want to win the games when you were with the Patriots, because you didn’t want to ever feel that depression feeling for like the two days after the game. You’re like, ‘We have to win the game. We have to win the game so we have a good week. So we feel good tomorrow.'”

The former New England tight end certainly made his mark in Patriots history. However, it appears that the Patriots organization may have been too rigid for him, even in victory.

Nevertheless, Gronkowski certainly provided Patriots fans with some unforgettable moments.

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Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski reveals who invented ‘Gronk Spike’

Rob Gronkowski revealed who started the ‘Gronk Spike’

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski celebrated each of his touchdowns with his patented ‘Gronk Spike’. Now, we finally have an answer as to where that move came from, with Gronkowski’s New England days behind him.

Patriots fans saw the tight end do his signature move following 79 touchdowns in his nine seasons with New England. The 2011 season saw him reach the end zone 17 times. That season, he became a household name and began his ascent towards greatness.

Gronkowski has now done the move 92 times over the course of his career, including 13 times in two seasons in his last stop in Tampa Bay.

The tight end detailed how the move came to be, during a segment with Kay Adams on her “Up and Adams” show. His brother, Chris, actually invented the move, when the latter was with the Dallas Cowboys.

“He actually has one touchdown in his career in the NFL from Tony Romo, and he started the Gronk spike,” Gronkowski said. “He absolutely Gronk spiked the ball to the moon when he scored his one-yard touchdown. So, he only has one touchdown, but we can say he famously started the Gronk spike.”

Between Chris Gronkowski inventing the celebration and Rob Gronkowski popularizing it, the ‘Gronk Spike’ itself will forever be synonymous with the Gronkowski family name.

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