Patriots’ Gronkowski loses appeal, will sit out vs. Dolphins,
Patriots tight end’s 1-game suspension upheld by league.
The NFL rejected Rob Gronkowski’s appeal of his one-game suspension on Tuesday, meaning the Patriots’ All-Pro tight end will miss Monday night’s game at the Miami Dolphins.
Gronkowski was suspended one game on Monday for an unnecessary and late hit on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White during the Patriots’ 23-3 win Sunday.
Gronkowski was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play, in which he dropped an elbow on White’s neck after the defender was down and out of bounds following an interception. However, he was not ejected from the game.
The eighth-year tight end later apologized to White, who now is in the league’s concussion protocol.
The appeal was heard by Derrick Brooks, the appeals officer assigned to the hearing jointly by the NFL and NFL Players Association. It will be the first NFL suspension for Gronkowski since he entered the league in 2010.
“Your actions were not incidental, could have been avoided and placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury,” NFL VP of football operations Jon Runyan wrote to Gronkowski in a statement released by the league. “The Competition Committee has clearly expressed its goal of ‘eliminating flagrant hits that have no place in our game.’ Those hits include the play you were involved in (Sunday).”
Gronkowski caught two touchdown passes in the Patriots’ previous game against the Dolphins on Nov. 26. New England won that game 35-17 at home. He has 44 receptions for 688 yards, a 15.6 average, vs. Miami during his career.
However, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is 10-0 (including playoffs) without Gronkowski in the lineup since 2016. He will return Dec. 17 against the Steelers when home-field advantage through the playoffs could be at stake.
jwagner@pbpost.com