Gronkowski’s value to Bucs goes beyond figures on contract
Rob Gronkowski needed one more reception — his seventh of the game — to reach another $500,000 performance bonus in the fourth quarter a week ago of the Bucs’ 41-17 win over the Panthers.
Having already earned a half-million dollars earlier in the game for a receiving yardage bonus, he saddled up to Mike Greenberg, the Buccaneers vice president of football administration on the sideline. Greenberg is in charge of the salary cap, so he’s the right guy to talk to about-finances.
“If I don’t get the seventh catch,” Gronkowski said between swigs of Gatorade. “I haveto go get a real job.”
Gronkowski, a Woodland Hills High Schol graduate, got his bonus, and the Buccaneers have gotten more than their money’s worth with Gronkowski.
When the Pro Bowl tight end fractured several ribs and suffered a punctured lung in a Week 3 loss to the Rams, it also took a little air outof the team’s offense.
Gronkowski tried to come back about a month later but played only six snaps in a loss to the Saints before suffering back spasms. But since returning to the lineup, the Buccaneers are 7-1.
With injuries to wide receiver Chris Godwin and running back Leonard Fournette and the release of receiver Antonio Brown, no player has had a bigger im-pact or made more clutch plays for the Buccaneers than Gronkowski. In the past eight games, he had 89 catches for 618 yards and two touchdown.
He's aho Mocked well in the rim gram. an underrated aspect of Croak's skill set. Here's another one. When things look dark. Gronkowski is a shining light on and off the feld.
-Gronk is a freaking ani-mal: quarterbacks coach Clyde-Christesen said. "He's one of the great players I've ever been around. rm not sure I've ever seen anybody play the position better than he plays it He's outstanding. And he's a phenomenal locker roam guy. to,. Never a bad day. New, complains. Never asks for a bell. Keeps everyone lase and pleasant every day. Never has a bad day.
"Tom Brady has thrown 90 touchdowns to Gronkowski. making them the second' most prolific passcatch tan-dem in NFL reular-season history. behind Peyton Man-ning and Marvin Harrison (112).
Gronkowski also has a way of keeping things light on the sideline and in the meeting rooms His affability and earnestness make him incredibly popular among teammates and coaches. "It's huge." coach Bruce Arians said "He just brings that dif ferent kind of energy. and he's a clutch player so I think the guys feed off it"
Considering that he looked as if he may be headed to injured resen e earlier in the year. Gronkowski's re-markable season has had a second act.
"This year was definitely a successful Gronkowski said. "Success-ful season for the team and for the organization getting 13 wins for the first time in this organization's history. [As for] myself. it was Mgt a successful season with mak-ing plays when my number was called. getting blocks down and helping out the running backs to make some yars.
But -that doesn't matter now [because] the regular 99,71" son is done now. and we have to carry that into the playoffs." That's where having Gronkowski will really payoff for the Buccaneers beginning Sunday against the Eagles.