“Not A Threat”
June 13th, 2020
Dismissed by NFL sources.
If an opinion piece wrapped around a piece of information gathered from an NFL source(s) is true, park-violating, home-invading Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and new tight end Rob Gronkowski are more a curiosity factor than a concern for NFL defensive coaches.
In a piece last week broadcast on “Stay in Bed,” seen and heard on BSPN, NFL insider Dianna Russini’s intel from NFL coaches is the Gronk that became a Hall of Fame tight end is done and the brittle guy who rassled last year for a living is no longer a gamechanger.
And if defenses pound Brady, he’s a shell of his former self and will crumble.
Gronk, the former WWE wrestling titleholder, came out of retirement to play for the Bucs and Brady. Younger Gronk and formerly retired Gronk, Russini suggests, are two different tight ends.
“Yeah, Gronk was breaking down a lot when we last saw him on the field,” Russini said. “In terms of concern for him being a threat, from what I can gather [from] my conversations, [Gronk] is not a high priority. [Defensive coaches] “they know he’s vertical, he is going to run those seams.”
With Brady, Russini picks up similar scoffs from defensive coaches.
“It is all about hitting him,” Russini said of how defensive coaches plan to attack Brady with the Bucs. “It’s all about getting him on the ground. He is not dynamic in the pocket anymore.
“This is not the Tom Brady, the Rob Gronkowski we have seen in years past.”
Russini seemed to suggest the Brady that the NFL world watched gag against Tennessee in the one-and-done playoff loss last winter to the Titans is the Brady that will be running the Bucs’ offense the next two seasons.
In other words, Brady is mortal.
The way it sounded like from Russini, the wealth of targets Brady has with the Bucs are going to have to help him fight off Father Time (Brady will be 43 in August) for the Bucs to win.
June 13th, 2020 at 12:29 am
Once again. The truth. Gronk is straight up smoke. Gronk is not getting pro bowl snaps. OJ is gonna get the more blocking and passing snaps. OJ just needs to stick to Gronk’s arse all year. He will still be dangerous in the red zone. Especially with Arians 12 man offense.
We’ve finally found red zone power and it feels awesome.
SWEEP NOLA!!!
GO BUCS!!!
June 13th, 2020 at 12:32 am
Fun article. I have a follow up question for Rusini. – How did D coordinators feel about JW?
Pretty sure we got the answer when JW got $1.1M and a third stringer role.
This offense hummed with Fitz!!! This Rusini dude thinks Brady can’t handle himself because of his age and a D coordinator saying ‘if you hit him, he will play worse’?
Where is this magical QB that plays better once they get hit?
If the D coordinator wasn’t worried about Brady, why would he say you have to hit Brady? Maybe because he is Dangerous As F-_-! If he stays upright.
This game ain’t rocket science, but I would just love it if D coordinators took the week while preparing for the Brady and the Bucs. Advantage Us!
Kiss my A$$ Rusini and your sources. We’ll see you on the gridiron.
Go Bucs!
In BA I Trust!
June 13th, 2020 at 12:44 am
As it relates to Gronk – he is a compliment not a requirement for our success.
Rusini stated the seam is still a threat for Gronk. Duh.
Evans, Godwin, Gronk, OJ, Brate, (Auclair can block and catch), Tyler, Watson, Miller. We line up those first 4 and pick a 5th. I hope the D coordinator isn’t losing sleep. Please do underestimate us. And that lineup will smoke you!
In BA I Trust!
June 13th, 2020 at 12:49 am
Joe stays quoting these wanna be’s and has beens (Polian – Joe#2)
Enough is enough already. Everyone is pressed to get articles out and there is nothing else to talk about. So (insert writer here) to give take on Brady & Bucs [in that order] a team I know SPIT about.
See yall in September!!
Go Bucs!!
June 13th, 2020 at 12:59 am
Factteller- we are national news. Embrace it!
In BA I Trust!
June 13th, 2020 at 1:27 am
Clickbait.
On Any Given Sunday.
Last time I saw Gronk on the field, he was owning the 4th quarter against the Rams, making a HALL OF FAME catch that put them in position to win a Super Bowl against double coverage.
June 13th, 2020 at 2:39 am
Tom Brady took the Patriots to the AFC Championship game 8 out of the last 10 years. They were in the playoffs 10 times in 10 years. lol what else do you want? He had nothing to throw to last year. AND they STILL went 12-4. Regardless, if the Bucs have a bad season it won’t be Brady’s fault.
June 13th, 2020 at 4:21 am
I think you folks do not give our O-Line enough credit.
I truly believe that the O-Line will be stout. Brady should be pretty well protected.
Wirfs will be alright, relax. As far as Gronk he just needs good weight. He is too skinny to be taken seriously.
Here are some stats for Brady:(I thought you would like em’)
41 playoff games · 36 comebacks, 45 game-winning drives
QBrec 219-64-0 Thrown for 74,571 Yards Tossed 541 Touchdowns
Intercepted only 179 times His completion percentage is 63.8%
Sacked 500 Times. Sounds like taking a hit is something he might just be accustomed to. He will enjoy a nice safe pocket to command from. Wirfs has 4 brothers and some extra depth on that line that will take good care of him.
Hey Gronk PORTERHOUSES SIR PORTERHOUSES! Go BUCS!!!
June 13th, 2020 at 6:16 am
The DC’s he was talking to were probably being sarcastic, and he didn’t get it. Like yeah, Gronk, Brady, no problem.
June 13th, 2020 at 6:24 am
These DCs must be from the AFC East and North, not worried bc they finally don’t have to play them again. If Gronk is 80% who he used to be, that’s still a top 10 TE in this league. Evans taking off the top, Godwin intermediate and pick anyone from Sport’s list underneath and this offense should be a handful.
Who did Brady have running deep and intermediate for him last year other than AB for 1 game?
June 13th, 2020 at 7:01 am
It’s not really Gronk who DCs have to worry about……he’s simply icing on the cake……Brady has a long list of WRs and two other pass-catching TEs…..then there will be RBs…..
Keeping him upright is the highest priority of the Buc offense, I can assure you.
My money would be on us succeeding.
The key to our success will be the strength of our Defense which no one should underestimate.
June 13th, 2020 at 7:12 am
It’s good to know that some still watch tape and can make a correct conclusion!!!!!!!!! The sheep and so-called fans will “realize” this by game 3 or 4 when bronk will no long have the heart to block and take hits!!!!!!!!!! Its sad to see the sheep think that the Bucs acquired the best QB and best TE in the league!!!!!!!!!!!!! The saddest part is that once the truth is exposed, the sheep will be in denial and say that old brady and broken gronk will need “a second year in the system” after a failed 2020 season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 13th, 2020 at 7:26 am
Tampabaybucfan thinks its “icing on the cake”!!!!!!!!! What until half way thru the season when he finally figured out that it was really old stale sourdough bread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I am sure as the sun comes up that he will have excuses at the ready, of why it will be better next year!!!!!!!!!! There is no way!!!! And I mean NO WAY, that Tampabaybucfan will hold anyone accountable after the 2020 season failure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 13th, 2020 at 7:41 am
gronk looks about 25 pounds less than his old playing weight…
if he should be say 265, said dude looks about 240…
if he wears that big bulky wwe champion belt under his jersey then he’s 265…
jimmy “superfly” snuka used to sleep in his belt…or so the story goes
June 13th, 2020 at 7:50 am
El Puco the doomsayer troll has the gumption to end his bile-filled posts with “go bucs!” Hilarious
June 13th, 2020 at 7:56 am
El Buco…. you might be right…after all, we do have a history of keeping players a couple years too long that will never be more than a third string backup on a good team. We kept Martin after the suspension…we kept Jameis after the uber incident. Should have cut them both loose.. probably had clauses in both contracts that would have allowed us to move on cleanly.
June 13th, 2020 at 8:12 am
Why do you think it’s Funny or Cool to degrade the GOAT with your park-violating, home-invading Bucs quarterback Tom Brady comments every time? It is not funny. It is childish. Just like when you reference Peter King. You waste more space on his description than the actual article portion. Not Funny. Stick to reporting and your own slant on things-not comedy.
June 13th, 2020 at 8:15 am
‘Blah, Blah, Blah, Sheep are my favorite dates’, said El Buco Realisto Dicko.
June 13th, 2020 at 9:06 am
Yeah but we won the offseason. And that is something that they can never take away from us.
June 13th, 2020 at 9:19 am
Go bucs
June 13th, 2020 at 9:33 am
So I “think” we’re largely past the arm strength no deep ball criticisms. Most folks do not believe has the same zip on the ball at 43 as he had at 23. DUH Who does. That’s an irrelevant question or observation.
The question that matters is does Brady have enough zip left to get the job done on THIS team with THESE receivers. Most believe he has more than enough and his accuracy will offset fewer deep tosses.
So here is the bottom line from all the critics…now SUPPOSEDLY ….ALLEGEDLY NFL DC’s and defensive minds in the know. Brady’s vulnerability because of his age will be his ability to hold up.
That’s simply a one size fits all that is absurd. ANY QB…how many games did the young best QB Mahomes miss due to injury. If Brady (now insert any NFL QB) gets hit in the wrong way…a SINGLE play can end their year.
But I do believe everybody will be trying to KILL Brady every snap for a variety of reasons. Please stop and consider what TB12 will face this year when he sticks his hands under Jensens rump.
How can you stop an accurate passer with an HOF TE…a TE with Pro Bowl potential TWO pro bowl WR’s and if we just get a competent receiver out of the backfield…If given even minimal time Brady will slice and dice. The ONLY way to stop him will be to get to him or at minimum move him off his spot and leave memories of violence in his head. IE EVERY opponent Brady faces will be trying to kill him on every play.
There is the normal human motivation of getting jacked to play the best…the GOAT…the Bucs and Brady are going to get intense competitive effort EVERY week. Every DL we face would love to get a Brady scalp for his wall.
I’m pretty sure TB12 has his limitations…lack of speed…43 years of age…but a lack of courage is not among them.
I’m going to go off this year on the first bozo who blasts Brady for lack of courage for going down instead of facing a big hit in an attempt for a 1st down or keeping a play alive. I TRUST Brady’s judgement. Anybody who even takes a snap knowing that half dozen physical freaks want nothing more than to HURT him…courage is NOT an issue…surviving to play another game is paramount.
June 13th, 2020 at 9:49 am
We shall see….. Those comments need to be sent to Brady & Gronk ASAP. I hope more of the national pundits start spouting the same. “They’re done, father time, not the same, incapable, can’t stay healthy.” Keep it coming. Love the moves the Bucs have made, the exposure has been priceless, jacked as ever to see this season play out!
June 13th, 2020 at 10:12 am
Woooo, exposure! The most popular 7-9 team of all time! Woooo! We did it, everyone!
Seriously, this team has 7-9 written all over it.
June 13th, 2020 at 10:13 am
“It is all about hitting him,” Russini said of how defensive coaches plan to attack Brady with the Bucs. “It’s all about getting him on the ground. He is not dynamic in the pocket anymore.”
Doesn’t this apply to every QB in the NFL?
June 13th, 2020 at 10:47 am
Actually, I think Brady will be very successful. Why? Yes…he doesn’t have the arm strength or mobility of a guy like Jameis. But he can read everything…pre-snap, in play defense adjustments, and knows the guys that are his checks and where to find the open guy. And he can still deliver the ball accurately. He can move the chains…and delivering the ball accurately in the red zones on both ends of the field, and find the open man. That will result in greater success for the Offense and Defense by giving them better field position and eliminating giving up defenseless points.
June 13th, 2020 at 11:08 am
Guarantold ya that I could throw for 4,500 yards and 30 tds with these weapons at 53 years old. Brady stepped into a GOLD MINE at 43!
If we keep his jersey clean we are going DEEEEEEEEP into the playoffs.
June 13th, 2020 at 11:10 am
Etzel Says:
June 13th, 2020 at 10:12 am
Woooo, exposure! The most popular 7-9 team of all time! Woooo! We did it, everyone!
Seriously, this team has 7-9 written all over it.
………………
Just screen shot this. Expect it to come back your way when we are in the playoffs
June 13th, 2020 at 12:13 pm
In our madness to turn this team around, I think we lost sight of what we are trying to do for the long term. We give a retired player 10 mil to play for a season despite the fact he has not finished a season since 2011. That’s right buco’s that be Gronk. Then we pay a washed up 43 yr old QB a guaranteed 50 mil to play for 2 seasons knowing full well, he will be down with injuries sometimes during those 2 yrs.And to put the icing on the cake, we got a backup QB who not only does not have a winning record, he is not a proven commodity for any team. Desperation folks. It is the enemy of the objective. It caused the South to lose the civil war. And its gonna cost my Bucs deeply. I kinda feel sorry for my team. I really do.
June 13th, 2020 at 12:36 pm
Ok, so let’s say Bucs didn’t sign Brady-
Then Gronk wouldn’t be here
Jameis would’ve likely been re-signed at 25 million more than the saints paid him
Wirfs would not have been drafted- likely a QB instead
… and we would all be anticipating the S O S
June 13th, 2020 at 1:58 pm
Mike..to paraphrase what John Madden said about the Bucs and the Gruden trade..
If with him you win a Superbowl… he is worth everything you had to give up to get him in Tampa.
And to a lesser extent, that is also true with Brady. If we win a SB, and I don’t think we ever would with our previous QB, it is worth the fact that it is only a short time player with our team, and in a couple years, we must look for another QB.
June 13th, 2020 at 1:59 pm
NFL source for the park-violating, home-invading QB that father defeated
June 13th, 2020 at 6:59 pm
I don’t think Brady and Gronk will recreate the magic they had in New England but the bottom line is that those guys are the greatest to play the game at their positions and they will be a factor. The real weapons on this team to me are still Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Brady never had that kind of 1-2 punch in New England.
June 13th, 2020 at 7:44 pm
You are correct D-Rome. Mike E, chris G and the Defense will save us I hope. I’m still not feeling brady or Gronk. Great publicity stunt though. I would have traded up in the 1st and gotten that QB who is going to take over in a yr or 2. Surely, they cannot think it is going to be Gabbert. My quess is if Arians does not produce a winner in 2 yrs, he’s gonna get the boot. Glazers went out on a limb paying Gronk and brady. I don’t see their worth. And yes, I hope I am wrong.
June 14th, 2020 at 12:53 am
Defense needs Brady to keep em’ fresh. Over Brady’s career, the Patriots had a good defense mostly because of how good Brady plays. He uses the game clock to rest his defense. His dink and dunk passing throw defenses off guard and hisclock management is top-notch. Hence why the Patriots always had a strong performing defense.
Although Evans and Godwin won’t see nearly the attempts headed their way as with Jameis, the targets that they do receive will have the
“best that they can be” attached to them.
Evans and Godwin’s completion percentages should go through the roof.
Their TD totals should also rise considerably but yet they will receive a smaller workload than years past.
See there is a difference when a Poser tries to throw to you and then a 30 million dollar QB throws to you, you notice the difference.
Remember watching those games when posers would miss that wide open receiver or RB that nobody witnessed sneaking deep?
A 30 million dollar QB notices that guy. GO BUCS