From Peter King on Gronk:
More than anything, Gronkowski was there when his team needed him. This year, New England milked him through the middle part of the season, but he played all 169 offensive snaps in two tight games—the AFC title game (97) and the Super Bowl (72). On the 81st New England snap of the title game, Gronkowski beat Eric Berry for a 25-yard completion to set up the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter. On the 94th snap, and on perhaps the biggest third-down conversion of his career, Gronkowski beat Eric Berry for a 15-yard pass to set up the winning score in overtime. On the 60th offensive play of the Super Bowl, in a 3-3 duel with the Rams, he went 29 yards down the seam to catch a Tom Brady pass, setting up the winning touchdown
Drew Rosenhaus on @GetUpESPN on Rob Gronkowski’s future: “If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games.”
His yards per catch (15.1) is higher than Jerry Rice (14.8) or Tyreek Hill (14.6).
Highest yards per target of any TE ever by nearly a full yard (9.9 vs. Kelce, second, at 9.04). His yards per target are higher than ANYONE since 1992, including all WRs (for comparison's sake, Julio Jones is second at 9.8).
Brady's passer rating when targeting Gronk: 129.6, which is the highest QB-to-receiver ranking since at least 2006.
If you're into PFF, Gronk has the top 6 PFF grades at TE ever recorded, and is in a three way tie for 7th.
Only player in NFL history with 500+ catches, 15+ yards per catch, who weighed over 250, much less the 265 he actually weighed. Guys his size just DO NOT have that kind of yards per catch number.
Drew Rosenhaus on @GetUpESPN on Rob Gronkowski’s future: “If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games.”
Drew Rosenhaus on @GetUpESPN on Rob Gronkowski’s future: “If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games.”
Told you. He will be back by the end of the year. Bunch of bullshit they can just save the space and get him back whenever they want from retirement. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Dawg:
Told you. He will be back by the end of the year. Bunch of bullshit they can just save the space and get him back whenever they want from retirement.
I highly doubt he will be effective at all if he does try to come back, which likely won’t happen.
Gronk has had NINE surgeries since his final season at Arizona.
-3 back surgeries
-4 forearm surgeries
-one major knee surgery
-one ankle surgery
He missed a lot of time last year bc of lingering back and ankle pain. The guy isn’t young anymore. He’s entering his 30’s with a broken down body.
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Chances Gronkowski has CTE?
I'm saying 98%
I'd be skeptical that his full potential would be appreciably greater had the brain he was given developed unhampered and remained in pristine condition. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Amnorix:
Big blow. Gronk was the greatest TE I've ever seen, and a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Pats receiving corps is now Edelman, Larry, Moe and Curly. Not pretty. Long way to go yet, though and we'll see how it shakes out in the long run.
I still think the Pats win the SB in 2011 if Gronk was healthy. :-)
The irony is because Gronk was so hard to take down, players started trying to take him down in ways that would injure him.
One of the few players I've seen willing to take down Gronk cleanly was Earl Thomas. I remember a play where he made a perfect form tackle and stopped Gronk dead to rights. No gain at all after contact. It's a shame a lot of players lack that respect or ability. [Reply]
