Rob Gronkowski Lectured On Yards After Catch
June 28th, 2023
Tight end Cade Otton.
Joe watched various footage of “Tight End University” to spot any Buccaneers at the annual educational event in Tennessee.
Joe didn’t catch Cade Otton, Ko Kieft or rookie Payne Durham, though the Bucs tight ends may have been there. (Joe asked Otton after an underwear football practice if he attended and Otton said he did not.) But one guy definitely there was Rob Gronkowski, the former Bucs star and future Hall of Fame tight end.
Gronk looks in great shape and was on the field with dozens of NFL tight ends, but he also was a guest lecturer.
Joe learned about Professor Gronk from Saints TE Juwan Johnson (7 touchdowns last season), who was a guest on SiriusXM NFL Radio today. He talked about how Gronk formally addressed the group in attendance about yards after catch (YAC) and how it’s a mindset that must be developed at the position and ways to achieve it.
That got Joe wondering about how Otton got to spend time with Gronk this offseason, so Otton said this spring.
Gronk averaged 14.3 yards per catch as a Buccaneer. Otton took over for Gronk last season and averaged 9.3 yards per reception in the same offense. Hopefully, Gronk sent a few messages that stuck with Otton.
Johnson talked about how he has permanent takeaways from Gronk, including mastering deeper knowledge of the Saints playbook to know what will happen before it does.
Essentially, everything ties to YAC, and YAC separates the good tight ends from the great ones.
Joe sure hopes Todd Bowles gets on the phone to Gronk and invites him to meet with the Bucs tight ends this summer. Gronk visits family in the area and says he loves the Bucs. Is there any reason why that shouldn’t happen?
June 28th, 2023 at 4:26 pm
Otten is no Gronk. Otten will never be a Gronk. Mayfield will never be a Brady. The Irrational Exuberance will never make it so.
June 28th, 2023 at 4:27 pm
And Bowles will never be a Shula.
June 28th, 2023 at 4:30 pm
Look at team photos with Gronk some time. It’s hilarious. He’s substantially bigger than everyone … even OL. He makes Evans look really little.
Gronk is a 6’6, chiseled 270 lbs, freak of nature … with speed, insane hands, and blocking ability. He even recognized defenses as well as TB12.
I really like Otton and Payne but hoping they can produce at the same rate as the greatest TE of all time probably isn’t going to happen.
June 28th, 2023 at 4:39 pm
Hmmm, can’t understand why anyone would think that our tight end room needs a guest lecturer. I mean Cade Otton is already in his 2nd year, and so is Ko Kieft. And we just drafted the rookie Payne Durham to augment that august duo, plus we’ve got a 3rd year guy in David Wells, another 2nd year guy in Dominique Dafney, and for good measure another rookie in Tanner Taula. These guys will be household names by the end of the year. What could a retiree like Gronk possibly teach 6 TEs with 5 total years of experience among them. We good.
And oh, forgot to mention our TE coach, John Van Dam. Granted he was a QB in college, but he did serve a 2-year stint back in 2008-2009 as a TE coach at Augustana College in SD.
June 28th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
It will probably take a good amount of time before Bucs’ fans truly realize just how special that 2020’ team was, how fortunate we fans are for that historic season, and the absolute mastery of Jason Licht for pulling it off. Licht, for that alone is a hall of famer in my book.
June 28th, 2023 at 5:36 pm
And HC Grover will never be anything other than a jockstrap sniffer
June 28th, 2023 at 5:40 pm
BigMacAttack, very well put. I don’t think Licht has gotten close to the amount of recognition he should have gotten for the team he put together for our Championship run.
June 28th, 2023 at 5:51 pm
Too much credit goes to Brady and Gronk for them to recognize Light.
He facilitated BAs vision and deserves credit.
Let’s see how long we suffer for it though.
We don’t have to have a Gronk to win and he is a diamond.
Give me a ruby and an emerald and let’s scheme up their talents and not make it look obvious.
June 28th, 2023 at 6:14 pm
I don’t have a pod-cast, and my opinion means nothing.
But Cade Otton, was the only player that stood out to me last year.
June 28th, 2023 at 6:52 pm
HC Grover, Relax…the article doesn’t compare Otton to Gronk. Joe just points out…all players should focus on getting better. If Otton can expand is yard per reception a couple of yards that’s a good thing!
June 28th, 2023 at 7:08 pm
If you ask me….Brady is not the same QB without Gronk….nowhere close
June 28th, 2023 at 7:10 pm
Dear 99
Please go away. Just go away and get a brain. I know life is hard without a brain in the head.
June 28th, 2023 at 7:22 pm
99 you childish insults reveal your lack of IQ and inability form a coherent thought in between your ears. Total fail. Sad.
June 28th, 2023 at 7:32 pm
It’s called teammates working together for a common cause, I,E Championships. Gronk had great physical presence and a desire to learn and then win, same as Brady. He paid the price with his body but his model of film study, work and desire are what makes him and anyone good if not great in their fields.
June 28th, 2023 at 7:59 pm
HC Grover, say something besides being negative every post and you would not ever get a insult . I’m sure I am not the only one who is tired of your crap! You make me miss Goat farmer!
June 28th, 2023 at 8:02 pm
Can’t we all just get along?
June 28th, 2023 at 8:12 pm
99 You are a simple Snoid. Leave me alone. Speak for yourself and your own opinions. I care less what you think or comment. That is all..
June 28th, 2023 at 8:27 pm
TOO MANY NEGATIVE NANCY’S ON THIS SITE ! I BELIEVE THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE GRONK COMES IN & LECTURES THE TE CLASS OF 2023, I HOPE HE DOES ! ANYTHING YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE BEST IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING ! THIS SEASON WILL BE BIG FOR OUR BUCCANEERS, REGARDLESS OF HOW IT ENDS UP..I PERSONALLY AM AN EXTREME OPPTIMIST WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHANGES WE MADE THIS OFF-SEASON, THE PLAYERS WE GOT THROUGH FREE AGENCY, THE DRAFT & THE UDFA’S WE SIGNED..THIS TEAM WILL BE YOUNGER, FASTER & MORE HUNGRY WITH A BETTER STYLE OF OFFENSE UNDER DAVE CANALES..DEFENSE WILL ALSO BE IMPROVED ( BASED ON YOUNGER BETTER PLAYERS AT SIGNIFICANT POSITIONS ) BAKER MAYFIELD WILL WIN THE STARTING JOB, BASED ON PERFORMANCE ALONE..THE BUCCANEERS ARE GOING TO WIN THIS YEAR & WIN THE DIVISION ( AS LONG AS THEY STAY HEALTHY..THAT’S THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS THIS SEASON )
June 28th, 2023 at 8:45 pm
Hc Grover, I will never go away I will be the biggest thorn in your side. Go learn some football then come back…you only know that you hate Todd Bowles.
June 28th, 2023 at 9:03 pm
PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT SAY THE NAME GOAT FARMER lol
June 28th, 2023 at 9:26 pm
Not the same offense at all. We went from Leftwich/Arians No Risk it, No Biscuit to Brady’s Smoke Screen Checkdown O. Huge difference.
June 28th, 2023 at 9:42 pm
We got the message Brandon. You must have lost money or were personally insulted somehow by Brady.
June 28th, 2023 at 11:30 pm
The biggest thing (aside from his physical attributes) that made Gronk so special, along with guys like Kelce, etc is their ability to read the defense as well as the QB and be on the same page to know where an open area is going to be and adjust his route accordingly. How many times do you watch a Chiefs game and say “How do they let Kelce get open all the time?” They don’t “let him get open”, he reads the coverage, watches shifts, studies film and gets himself open. That’s something that comes with time but some tips and strategies are something Gronk could share with Otton and the others. I’d love to see him pop in for a few days during camp.
June 29th, 2023 at 3:46 am
Bowles would have to swallow his pride Joe.
I would love to see Gronk in Tampa even if it was just to get a glimpse of his GF.
LOL
Go Bucs!
June 29th, 2023 at 4:09 am
@TBBF,
Gronk is a HOFer and was a matchup nightmare. So, yea Brady benefited from that. He still won Super Bowls before Gronk was his TE. The biggest difference between Brady without Gronk was that the Patriots, outside of Moss, never gave Tom any elite level WRs. Aikman had Irvin, Montana and Young had Rice, etc. Those teams didn’t need to have an elite TE. But, Brady did. At least they got lucky and drafted an elite talent for him at TE cuz they sure didn’t believe in paying for a top-shelf WR until Brady couldn’t carry that team on his back any longer. That’s part of the reason he left.
June 29th, 2023 at 7:45 am
“same offense” my azz
June 29th, 2023 at 10:20 am
Otton does play/ look like a Baby Gronk, though.
Shades of Gronk, but obv not as dominant as Gronk.
But kinda somewhat similar style of play…
I can tell Otton is trying to be/play life Gronk, which is all we can ask
June 29th, 2023 at 4:59 pm
….and Bowles first have the team that “Shula” had!
June 29th, 2023 at 5:33 pm
YAC…. preach preach preach!
Too bad he couldn’t teach up OJ Howard about that before he got injured / let go…