Miami Herald

Bucs’ Gronkowski tricked coach with virtual workouts

- BY JASON DILL jdill@bradenton.com Jason Dill: 941-745-7017, @Jason__Dill

After a short retirement from the NFL, tight end Rob Gronkowski made his return, reuniting with quarterbac­k Tom Brady with their new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

To get himself back into NFL game shape during a global pandemic, Gronkowski conducted virtual workouts.

They impressed the Bucs staff, though they weren’t quite what they seemed.

Gronkowski said during Monday’s Super Bowl 55 press conference that it was fun filming himself and sending the video to Bucs strength and conditioni­ng coach Anthony Piroli for the first week.

“Then after a week it’s like, ‘Oh man, I just wish we were in person,’ ” Gronkowski said. “Because every time, I had to film myself and send it in, in order to get credit for the workout and stuff. So that was kind of getting a little annoying. But then I started tricking him.”

So how did Gronk trick Piroli?

“I would bring my shirt out and then I would bring another shirt out,” Gronkowski said. “So when I’m running the sprints, I would film myself 15 times for that session, that workout session. But I would run it in a couple different shirts. Because you only had to send in two or three reps. So then when the next time came, I didn’t have to film myself because I already filmed myself running in a different shirt every time on that one day. He hasn’t had a clue to this day that I was tricking him about half the time during those virtual workouts.”

HOMETOWN BENEFITS

Like the rest of the Bucs players and staff, Super Bowl 55 gives Brady the chance to sleep in his own bed, as the game takes place at Raymond James Stadium.

Brady discussed what it’s been like preparing for the Super Bowl this time compared to past visits.

“The football preparatio­n has been easier in a lot of ways,” Brady said. “Actually my family has been out of town for the last six days. They’re not coming back into town until Saturday, so I really had an empty house for [what] will be 12 days leading up to the game. That’s the most prep I’ve ever had. Could really focus on what I need to do from a football standpoint.”

FORMER DOLPHINS COACH MAKES FIRST SUPER BOWL

Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers previously spent seven seasons coaching the Dolphins defensive line.

On Monday, during a news conference for Super Bowl 55, Rodgers reflected on his time in Miami.

“The thing we both look back and reflect on throughout the different stops is just the tremendous, tremendous players we’ve had along the way,” Rodgers said.

“... I look at some of the

players that I’ve had that are future Hall of Famers, then you look around at some of the players that had great careers and some that are still playing. It’s just a testament to what I said earlier, the hard work that these guys in this league put in week in and week out.”

And on Sunday, Rodgers will coach in his first Super Bowl, tasked with getting a defensive line prepared to pressure Kansas City

Chiefs quarterbac­k Patrick Mahomes.

 ?? MATT LUDTKE AP ?? The Buccaneers’ Rob Gronkowski says it was fun filming himself working out and sending the video to Bucs strength and conditioni­ng coach Anthony Piroli — at first. ‘But then I started tricking him,’ he says.
MATT LUDTKE AP The Buccaneers’ Rob Gronkowski says it was fun filming himself working out and sending the video to Bucs strength and conditioni­ng coach Anthony Piroli — at first. ‘But then I started tricking him,’ he says.
 ?? MIKE WINDLE Getty Images for Celebrity Fight ?? Tight end Rob Gronkowski, above, reunited with quarterbac­k Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will go for another Super Bowl title Sunday.
MIKE WINDLE Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Tight end Rob Gronkowski, above, reunited with quarterbac­k Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will go for another Super Bowl title Sunday.

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