GRONK IN HIS HAPPY PLACE
Tight end knows value of staying put on Pats
FOXBORO — By now, you all know the drill: Every Patriots game is preceded by, accompanied by or followed up with some backstage development that’s guaranteed to provide an exciting and sometimes head-scratching subplot to whatever’s happening on the field.
Yesterday’s subplot involved Rob Gronkowski, and it served as a very nice pregame pillow to help Patriots fans settle in for the 2018 season opener against the Houston Tex- ans at Gillette Stadium.
The pregame news: According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Gronk did some offseason spiking when it came to any thoughts the Pats might have had about trading him, this by informing management of his druther to walk away from football — that is, quit — before playing for any other team, any other coach or, perhaps most importantly, any other quarterback.
The game: Gronk caught seven passes for 123 yards, including an oh-my-goodness-how-did-he-do-that touchdown grab in the first quarter. It was his 27th game with 100 receiving yards. Yes, he also had a fumble when the ball was stripped away after he made a second-quarter reception. But he also made an appearance on defense, playing Guardian at the Gate as Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson heaved a Hail Mary on the final play of the game.
The aftermath: Gronk was asked about the report during his postgame presser and basically said, “Whaaaaaaaaa?” OK, what he really said was: “I was wondering why they asked me that on the field right after the game. I was, like, where is this coming from again? Um, no, I’m glad to be here. Glad to be part of this team, glad to be part of this organization. And all that talk, all that stuff, I mean I would love to put it in the past, whatever it is, whatever reports are coming out, I’m here, I’m here to stay, and I’m here to keep playing ball with the Patriots, just enjoying my time here.” The instant analysis of this latest Patriots subplot: It’s not just that Pats fans can rest easy, knowing that Gronk really likes it here. Beyond the hometown boosterism — it’s just a matter of time before the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce has Gronk doing TV spots — this is an instance when a Patriots-related report can be taken to the bank.
Let’s roll back the tape to the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl LII, the Philadelphia Eagles having emerged with their shocking 41-33 victory. The big subplot that day was the rock that fell on Bill Belichick’s head and caused him to forget Malcolm Butler’s name, but suddenly Gronk sent everyone scurrying when he introduced yet another subplot: He dropped hints about retiring.
“I’m definitely going to look at my future, for sure,” he said on that February day. “I’m going to sit down the next couple of weeks, see where I’m at.”
See. Where. He’s. At. Woah.
But while he joined Brady in missing most of the team’s springtime activities, Gronk has since restructured his deal. And where he was at yesterday was on the field at Gillette Stadium, catching passes from Brady, the man who for the past year or so has had Pats fans twisting and turning over whether he’s going to keep playing ... or spend the rest of his years doing his own five-star version of National Lampoon’s Summer Vacation.
After so many hints about retiring, Brady closed the last chapter of his Facebook Watch documentary by practically announcing he has every intention of playing until he’s 45.
Whatever.
He will or he won’t. But you should believe the report about Gronk walking away from football had the Pats dared to walk away from him. This is just a guess, but let’s consider Gronk isn’t just looking at his wallet as he mulls his future. He’s also looking at his body and his physical well being. He plays a grueling position in a sport that’s brutal and barbaric, and on top of all that he’s really, really good at what he does. Perhaps the best ever. That means he gets extra attention, and in football extra attention means extra contusions.
And so Gronkowski looks in the mirror and sees a fast-aging athlete with only so many years remaining. And then he takes a second look in the mirror to see if Brady is still in the picture. If he is, he keeps playing. If not ... that’s when be walks away from football.
Playing with Brady and for Belichick offers him the best chance for success. It may also offer him the best chance at avoiding injury, given that crazy coaches have a way of putting players in harm’s way and Belichick lives on the other side of the county from Crazytown.
Gronk is only 29, but it is 29 with cracks, dings and tire marks. That’s why, had the Pats traded No.87 during the offseason, that’s all the other team would have received: A No. 87 shirt.
As if to buoy the point, the Pats’ first-quarter score yesterday was the 76th time Brady has thrown a touchdown to Gronkowski — which is the fifth highest total in NFL history. And the second-highest among quarterback-tight end duos.
This is what works for Gronk.