Gronkowski mulling retirement

[Hammock Parties]

If Gronk retires...that offense is done.

Will Rob Gronkowski retire? Why the Patriots star's decision isn't easy

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...-decision-easy

When asked whether he had just played his last game, Gronkowski deferred.

"Tonight's about celebrating with our teammates," he said. "That decision will be made in a week or two."

Someone mentioned a hit he took during the game -- in the second quarter, he collided with a pair of Rams defenders after a short catch -- and he replied quickly, "Yeah, my quad. It hurts a lot. I can barely walk right now." He added, his delivery more deadpan than joyful: "But it's all good, because we're Super Bowl champs."

After the hit, Gronkowski, who played every snap, staggered off the field. Whenever he suffers a blow -- he has endured more than most players, in part because his gigantic frame makes it difficult for defenders to tackle him any other way -- he limps like a cinematic monster hobbled by arrows. The effect is similarly heartbreaking. Gronkowski had surgery on his spine before entering the league (explaining why the Patriots were able to snag him in the second round), and he has experienced a litany of painful injuries and operations over the years. This season, he missed three regular-season games, reportedly because he was suffering from Achilles tendinitis and a bulging disc in his back.

Earlier in the week, he acknowledged how difficult it has been for him to come back at times.

"Try to imagine getting hit all the time, and trying to be where you want every day in life," he said. "It's tough. It's difficult. To take hits to the thigh, to take hits to your head, abusing your body ... isn't what the brain wants."

After his news conference at the Super Bowl, Gronkowski trudged to the locker room, where he started peeling his pads off. As a staffer pulled his nametag off his locker (empty, save for a roll of tube socks and a half-eaten sandwich), Tom Brady's personal trainer, Alex Guerrero, walked over and gently unwrapped the tape on his arm. While his teammates sprayed champagne and danced on one side of the room, Gronkowski was quiet -- solemn, almost. A reporter asked him where he was partying, and he muttered in response: "We'll see, we'll see."

When he had changed into a towel, the large scar on his shoulder shiny with sweat, it was evident that his right thigh was absurdly swollen, to the point where it looked bloated. His movements were halting. I asked him if he was looking forward to the offseason -- potentially, the rest of his life -- and he smiled softly, "I'm super excited to just chill."

[Red Dawg]

Bill will most likely cut him anyway.

[RunKC]

If you think the Patriots are done bc Gronk retires, then you clearly don’t understand how that team works.

[Titty Meat]

No it's not and youve been calling for their demise since 2014. Please shut up.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by RunKC

If you think the Patriots are done bc Gronk retires, then you clearly don’t understand how that team works.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/12/pat...ent-to-harvard

Take a look at how Gronkowski’s absence has affected Tom Brady since he joined the Patriots in 2011.

The hulking tight end has missed 19 games over his career. Tom Brady has started 17 of those games. And over a season’s worth of games, here is his statline:

Comp%: 57.3
Yards/attempts: 6.5
Rating: 82.4

[Angry fan]

I've heard from everyone that Gronk was already done this season. So what difference does that make?

[Radar Chief]

Gronk should retire, he looked noticeably slow, but anyone thinking "they're done" because of losing a tight end hasn't been paying attention.

[Angry fan]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/12/pat...ent-to-harvard

That article is from December 2016. Didn't they win the Super Bowl that season?

[ptlyon]

I wish he would also mull over eating a 44 magnum

[TwistedChief]

Originally Posted by RunKC

If you think the Patriots are done bc Gronk retires, then you clearly don’t understand how that team works.

Good chance we would've beaten them if Gronk hadn't played. Then no Super Bowl title this year and it's our time and perhaps the Patriots would've indeed been done.

[Angry fan]

Originally Posted by ptlyon

I wish he would also mull over eating a 44 magnum

I like magnum ice cream. It's quite good.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Angry fan

That article is from December 2016. Didn't they win the Super Bowl that season?

They had Martellus Bennett.

The cupboard is bare at TE without Gronk right now.

[Beef Supreme]

I don't care if he retires or not, but don't Brett Favre us for 3 or 4 years. ****ing get on with it or stfu.

[Angry fan]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

They had Martellus Bennett.

The cupboard is bare at TE without Gronk right now.

Good point. Isn't this a good class for tight ends though? The other 31 teams need to draft the top 4 tight ends to prevent the Patriots from getting one of them then.

[DJJasonp]

LOL at Gronk being the key to all the pats' success.

It's coaching (or Edelman is the best WR in the league, given the fact that neither us, nor the rams, could figure out how to stop him).

Funny how we couldnt figure out how to get Tyreek that open throughout the game versus the pats.....

Again, coaching.