Ever since Rob Gronkowski’s infamous post-Super Bowl press conference where he hinted that he was considering retirement, the rumour mill has been busy. Some reports have suggested that Gronk will retire from football and join the WWE, while some claim that he will return to the Patriots in 2018.
The situation was clarified a bit on Sunday when ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported that Gronkowski would most likely return despite his frustrations with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. These frustrations were put on full display back in March when Gronkowski posted a tribute to the now-Dolphins receiver Danny Amendola. A particularly interesting line was, “Be FREE, Be HAPPY.” I wonder who Amendola is free of in the mind of Rob Gronkowski… I couldn’t possibly imagine.
The friction between Gronkowski and Belichick did not suddenly arise, nor did it begin just last season. It started years ago and has been consistently building up--people forget that Gronk was unwilling to come back and play in 2013 after surgery despite the fact that the Patriots believed he was good to go.
Furthermore, Gronkowski has never been a good fit for the Belichick system. Gronk has certainly been unable to keep his head down and work quietly, especially in the offseason. We know Belichick hates players having any personality whatsoever, so I’m really not sure how Gronk has lasted this long in New England with his eccentric behavior.
Despite the best wishes of my fellow Patriots fans, there is a problem here--and a big one at that.
I have made my position clear on the show both in recent weeks and well before this ordeal happened: The Patriots should trade Rob Gronkowski, and according to NFL reporter Albert Breer, multiple teams are ready to make offers.
Here are the reasons why the Patriots should trade Gronk:
1. As I stated earlier, Gronk doesn't fit the system. He won’t keep his mouth shut and, while I don’t have a major problem with the way he acts in the offseason, Bill Belichick evidently does. As long as Bill is the coach, players need to buy in; it’s Belichick’s way or the highway in New England.
2. Gronkowski’s injury history is a major concern; it’s surgery after surgery for this guy. It was yet another injury that kept him out of the last Patriots’ Super Bowl win. I don’t understand how the Patriots can count on him being healthy when he has shown time and time again that he is a massive injury risk and is one of the least durable players on the Patriots roster.
3. Gronk is completely noncommittal about continuing to play football. Even if he does return for this season, who’s to say that he continues playing in 2019? The guy seriously considered walking away last training camp, so how can they count on him? Why would the Patriots keep someone who may or may not make it through the 2018 season just to see him leave for the WWE next offseason? Especially when there’s an alternative--trading him--that can yield a significant return and could help the Pats this coming season and beyond.
I understand that Rob Gronkowski is the greatest tight end to ever play the game and that he’s one of the most dominant athletes the NFL has seen in a long time, but I also know that he’s unreliable, that he’s contributing to friction in the Patriots locker room, and that even if he remains a Patriot for 2018, he’s probably gone the following year.
The Patriots won in 2016 without Gronk and, given that they acquire the necessary defensive pieces (possibly using Gronkowski as an asset), I believe they can do it again.
I love Gronk as much as the next Patriots fan, but you have to know when it’s time to move on.
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