Tampa Bay Buccaneers right end Rob Gronkowski is a Super Bowl winner and a surefire first ballot Hall of Fame inductee.
However, the mammoth tight end can also be described as petulant and self-centered. Gronkowski’s true character came to light earlier this week when he made some controversial comments about how he was happy to have been suspended by the NFL during the ’17 season.
Gronkowski’s Comments Light a Fire
Gronkowski was suspended for a full week halfway through the ’17 campaign after blasting Buffalo Bills defensive back Tre White with a completely unnecessary late hit. However, the suspension didn’t dissuade Gronkowski from changing his ways. In fact, it emboldened him.
The simpleton tight end revealed such when making comments about the hit and resulting suspension this past Tuesday on the latest episode of “Man in the Arena.”
Gronkowski stated, “I just got suspended a week. I was happy, I was finally happy. I was like, ‘Yes, I’m away from football for a week. I get to recover my body.’”
The brutish tight end went on to describe how he and his Patriots teammates were having a difficult time during the season and that the grind was “taking a toll” on himself, as well as the rest of his squad.
Gronkowski also elaborated on how he was singled out by the league for supposed personal fouls. Even his teammate, Tom Brady, chimed in to echo the sentiment, stating, “Every time Gronk would touch someone, they would throw a flag on Gronk. But at the same time, they could drape their arms all over him and not get called for any penalties.”
The Hit on White
On December 3, 2017, Tre White, the All Pro cornerback of the Buffalo Bills, intercepted a pass targeting Gronkowski. It took out his frustration on White during the play, blasting him with a blindside hit.
The tight end insists he targeted White with the illegal hit as the cornerback entered his routes throughout the game, yet the referees failed to call a single penalty.
Gronkowski states he “lost it” prior to jabbing his elbow into an unsuspecting White. White was knocked out on the play and ultimately ended up entering the league’s concussion protocol. Though Gronkowski issued a public apology to White after the game and indicated his frustration got the better of him, he sang a different tune during his “Man in the Arena” interview that aired earlier this week.
Gronkowski admitted he was happy to be suspended as the illegal hit afforded him an entire week off from the grind of an NFL season.
“I mean, when you’re running full-speed into people, definitely was taking a toll on me. Football, such a grind week in, week out. It is physical, it’s violent, and you’re just running full speed at people and you need to recover from football and that’s what a lot of people don’t understand,” the gargantuan tight end said.
Gronkowski Has No Remorse
The Bucs’ tight end went on to detail how his only loss stemming from the illegal hit was a game check in the amount of $300,000. However, he states he “…didn’t even care one bit.” It is clear Gronkowski is more interested in maintaining his physical and mental health than playing the game the right way and making millions of dollars.
Gronkowski is still playing with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. The two are currently in the thick of the NFC playoff race, attempting to win their second straight Super Bowl title.
The team will have to make its push for the crown without mercurial wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown, also a hothead, stormed off the field this past Sunday, tossing his jersey and gloves into the crowd halfway through the game.
The diminutive wideout was spotted waiting for a rideshare service in the stadium parking lot in the third quarter. However, as of January 5th, Brown is still listed as an active member of the Bucs’ roster.
His presence on the roster is a bit surprising considering the team’s head coach, Bruce Arians, stated he is no longer a member of the squad.
Tre White’s Response to Gronkowski’s Comments
Buffalo Bills fans will find it interesting to know their Pro Bowl cornerback Tre White has not yet responded to the unsavory Gronkowski admission. White suffered a severe concussion from the hit. The all-world cornerback is out for the remainder of the year with a torn ACL.
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are scheduled to play the 5-11 Carolina Panthers this upcoming Sunday afternoon. The Buffalo Bills will do battle with the New York Jets on Sunday at 4:25 Eastern. It is possible the Bucs and Bills will face one another in this year’s Super Bowl scheduled to be played in LA’s gorgeous new SoFi stadium on Sunday, February 13th.
