Veteran competition
Chung, Gronk start personal game now
FOXBORO — The Patriots don’t compile points on the scoreboard during mandatory minicamp but strong safety Patrick Chung is always keeping score.
The same can be said for All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Chung and Gronkowski routinely engage in a manoa-mano competition whenever the Patriots’ first offense and first defense are lined up against each other.
The two veterans employ a competitive points system that was on display during Day 3 of minicamp yesterday on the practice fields outside Gillette Stadium.
“It makes me better and we compete together and we are always going at it,” said Chung, a nine-year veteran out of Oregon.
“We have a point system and whoever has the most points at the end of the day wins something. A catch is a point, a pass breakup is a point, a touchdown is two points and an interception is two points and stuff like that.”
The Chung vs. Gronkowski battle was featured during an 11-on-11 drill from midfield about halfway through the practice. Gronkowski got separation at the line of scrimmage, cut over the middle and snatched a 10-yard pass from Tom Brady. Point Gronkowski.
On a subsequent play, Chung disrupted Gronkowski’s route and was unceremoniously tossed to the ground in an egregious example of offensive pass interference. Gronkowski turned toward the quarterback but the delay took him out of Brady’s progression.
Point Chung.
“He’s great and he’s one of the best and he’s definitely helped me during the season and in my career he’s helped me,” said Chung. “It is good going against someone that good.”
Lining up against Gronkowski in practice provides a competitive edge that Chung brings to the stadium on game day. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Gronkowski is arguably the best tight end to ever play in the NFL and is likely the most flamboyant.
But nearly every team in the NFL has a tight end with similar dimensions that can run downfield. Since Chung is the safety assigned to the deepest area of the box, covering big, fast and poorly mannered tight ends has become his stock in trade.
“Yeah, it pretty much is my job but it all depends game to game and every game is different and every game plan is different,” said Chung. “Whatever coach asks me to do I try to do to the best of my ability and that includes tight ends.
“I do whatever they ask me to do and the more you can do, the more valuable you are. I just try and do what I can for the team. I do it to the best of my ability and consistently.”
Chung’s offseason conditioning program features a component few would associate with a guy who has Jamaican heritage and grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Chung likes to skate and play hockey, activities he engages in at Rodman Arena on Route 1 just north of Gillette. Chung participated in a Bruins practice to rave reviews in March 2017.
“That was a lot of fun, man and a real change for me and a real lesson,” said Chung. “Offseason I go to the Rodman Center and do drills and push the nets back and forth.
“It is great and it is fun and it works different muscles so it is great for conditioning. I just tried it one offseason and ended up liking it so I kept doing it. I like trying different things just to see what I can do.”