Watching Gronk
August 8th, 2020
Watching Gronk.
There is a very good reason to watch Bucs’ foot-rubbing tight end Rob Gronkowski. And no, it’s not just because of his SI Swimsuit covergirl girlfriend (although that’s a very good reason).
No, the reason to monitor Gronk is to see how he bounces back from retirement. We all know Gronk was physically shot after he and the Belicheats won the Super Bowl following the 2018 season.
Gronk’s brother recently said Gronk couldn’t even go to the Belicheats’ Super Bowl party because he had intense pain after the win. In fact, Gronk’s brother and others had to help him to the bathroom because he was such a wreck physically.
Former NFL general manager Mike Tannebaum Twittered out info that caught Joe’s eye. He noted, with few exceptions, once a player sits out for any reason, that player’s career has already turned the corner, and not in a good way.
It’s rare for a player to take a year off and still be productive, but Reed and @RobGronkowski will be intriguing players to follow this year. If healthy, they both could be significant acquisitions for their teams. https://t.co/zeNGMoHU16
— Mike Tannenbaum (@RealTannenbaum) August 3, 2020
Joe doesn’t disagree with this at all. However, can Gronk be productive if he can stay healthy? His health is the key factor. It wasn’t like Gronk fell off the map skillwise. It was because he was beat to hell.
Joe will use a recent example. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten had an OK season in 2017. It wasn’t his best by any stretch with 560 yards receiving on 63 catches and five touchdowns.
After the 2017 season, Witten took a whirl with broadcasting as an analyst on “Monday Night Football” with former Bucs star Booger McFarland. That didn’t work out well and Witten returned to the Cowboys last season.
After a year off, Witten had very similar numbers to when he last stepped on an NFL field, racking up 529 yards receiving on 63 catches and four touchdowns last year.
In 2018, Gronk had 682 yards on 47 catches with three touchdowns. Combined, Cam Brate and O.J. Howard had 70 catches for 770 yards and five touchdowns last season.
So what a beaten up Gronk did in 2018 wasn’t far off Brate and Howard combined last year.. Knowing this, Joe is keen on seeing what Gronk might do after a year allowing his body to recover.
August 8th, 2020 at 4:14 pm
I think they put Gronk toward the backend of the gamelans vs easier opponents, and unleash him against must win games. Week 1 for example, I would use Gronk as a decoy and Let Brady feed Godwin, miller, Rojo on short slants. Hell even Mike Evans on off coverage. The saints will be over prepared for Gronk and if they are not unleash him.
Screen game better be insane this year unless Leftwich PUTS A MASK ON IT!
August 8th, 2020 at 4:32 pm
Eeerr……Leftwitch is the OC, right ….it’s his gameplane, pleas
August 8th, 2020 at 4:35 pm
please let him plan it…
August 8th, 2020 at 4:43 pm
IMO, Brady will be targeting Gronk early and often in the first few games until he develop’s chemistry and trust with the other weapons. How he holds up…?
August 8th, 2020 at 5:04 pm
Was Reed ever healthy? I know people will talk about Gronk not being healthy, but Reed was, year in and year out, always injured, even if he played, he’d often get injured early in a game and not come back. He was fantasy football death since he’d kill your team so often. To compare him to Gronk is a bit of stretch.
August 8th, 2020 at 5:12 pm
Meh…Gronk is just average.
-Ndog
August 8th, 2020 at 5:15 pm
Heck Rod………..He couldn’t even stay healthy in College.
August 8th, 2020 at 5:16 pm
Heck if Gronk had come to Tampa straight out of the draft he would have been out of the NFL in 2 years.
-Ndog
August 8th, 2020 at 5:18 pm
Gronk is no ordinary player or TE – he is a future hall of famer. He might be one of those rare players that a year off to heal his body will do wonders.
August 8th, 2020 at 5:22 pm
Last year Carson Wentz became the 1st QB to throw for 4000 yards and not have anyone with more than 500 receiving yards. Brady has so many match ups he can exploit. If Gronk has 400 yards and 5 TD’s and the Bucs go 11-5 or better than I think Gronk will be happy and healthy come the playoffs.
August 8th, 2020 at 5:34 pm
I hope the same doesn’t go for coaches who retire and go in to the broadcast booth for a year.
August 8th, 2020 at 5:40 pm
Players take a year off ALL THE TIME from injury, and the limiting factor is usually not the time off, it’s the recovering from the injury. He will be fine.
August 8th, 2020 at 5:57 pm
Plus Witten is closer to Brady’s age than Gronks!!
August 8th, 2020 at 6:15 pm
Mort Says: “Players take a year off ALL THE TIME from injury, and the limiting factor is usually not the time off, it’s the recovering from the injury. He will be fine.”
Excellent point. Players blow out their knees and go on injury reserve for an entire year and return the next season without missing a beat. Gronk did not take a year off due to one major medical injury, rather 10 years of the constant beating just wore him out.
August 8th, 2020 at 7:04 pm
Gronk is the greatest TE in history, period.
August 8th, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Joe, you just can’t post enough pics of Gronk’s girlfriend. Smokin’ hot isn’t even close to what she is.
August 8th, 2020 at 8:16 pm
As we used to say, back in the day: “hotter than a biscuit!”
August 8th, 2020 at 9:09 pm
Joe concurs.
Good one!
August 8th, 2020 at 9:21 pm
Well he has a lot of help at the tight end position. He’s going to be somewhat of a coach for them and does not need to be hey 70 catch guy.
August 8th, 2020 at 9:21 pm
Dam Joe.
Remember when I called Colleen Wolfe “Hotter than the Sun”?
I still would take CW over Gronk’s gf. Wouldn’t kick either one of them out of bed for eating Crackers.
August 8th, 2020 at 9:34 pm
Another FHOF come to teach. Brate has proved himself. I’m thinking OJ will be getting the most time. Godwin/Brate/Gronk/Evans and Tom in the red zone? That’s how you know it’s going to be a good, high scoring team.
#RedZoneKillas
August 8th, 2020 at 11:43 pm
You aren’t wrong. 🙂
August 8th, 2020 at 11:46 pm
Foot rubbing moniker for Gronk by Joes = you’re creepy. But we already knew that via the obsession with other monikers.
In BA I Trust!
August 8th, 2020 at 11:59 pm
It’s not like Gronk will be asked to play every down either. Not when we have a stable of legit tight ends that can make big plays themselves. I think we have the deepest pass catching TE position in the league which can only help Gronk in staying healthy.
August 9th, 2020 at 12:55 am
Colleen is smoking hot! True that fellows!
August 9th, 2020 at 9:24 am
I hope he’s wrong. I drafted Gronk last night in fantasy.