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."

[Rain Man]

He wants to be able to walk when he's ... you know the age... you know... especially you (pointing at woman). I can do the math if you want.

[Chief_For_Life58]

the guy is already a hofer and a 3x sb champ with 50+ million in the bank. That being said i'd sign a 3 year contract and play out the rest of tom brady's career then retire but its easy to talk about it not being him. Im sure his body is beat tf up

[In58men]

Gronk retires, Pats sign Maxx Williams nothing changes.

[Reerun_KC]

Best news Eric Berry has heard all day.

[comochiefsfan]

Gronk retiring will be one less weapon they have which will help. The reality though is that their offense doesn't run through him anymore and doesn't need him to be successful.

The end is near though. Brady will continue declining over the next couple years and that will be a much bigger problem for them than Gronk retiring.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Best news Eric Berry has heard all day.

I think he generally controlled Gronkowski in the past, but in this last game Gronkowski was his achilles heel.

You know, his other one.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by RunKC

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

yip

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I think he generally controlled Gronkowski in the past, but in this last game Gronkowski was his achilles heel.

You know, his other one.

Berry did a great Bartee impression.

[Angry fan]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I think he generally controlled Gronkowski in the past, but in this last game Gronkowski was his achilles heel.

You know, his other one.

Gronk's easy to control for any DB. All you gotta do is grab and hold him. They never call it on him. It's pretty awesome, pretty much shaq rules. For other tight ends you had to be careful, especially the fast tight ends. Although sometimes they will call a hold against the DB, so it's risky but it's the right way to play him. Eric Berry definitely understood this.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by RunKC

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

For sure- every time someone predicted the demise of their team because they lost a superstar, somehow they found someone new to help row the boat.

[Amnorix]

Gronk apparently suffered through a strained achilles and a bulging disk this year, which made him look slow and he was clearly less effective in the passing game, though his blocking was still stellar.

By the end of the season, especially the SB, he was healthy, back to his jovial self, and pretty damn good in the SB in receiving as well as blocking. He's very smart with the money he has made and can definitely retire if he wants, to pick up acting or WWE or whatever the heck he wants to do with his life. He loves football, but it's hard to love football when you're hurt.

We'll have to wait and see.

I definitely think that if Gronk retires the Patriots will never win a single game again though. Yep. Definitely not.

Let's face it -- the Patriots will trade for one, or sign one, or whatever, and/or reallocate the money to pick up a strong WR or whatever. The ONE thing the Patriots under Belichick do is ADAPT. If you can name the TEs that helped the Patriots win the SB in 2001, 2003 and 2004, then good on you, but I bet most here can't.

[Rawlsian]

I'll tell you how this works here will reportedly retire but stay in shape. The Patriots will have a hiccup at the beginning of the season and he will come to the rescue. Because like isn't fair.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by scho63

For sure- every time someone predicted the demise of their team because they lost a superstar, somehow they found someone new to help row the boat.

Belichick's main source of inspiration might not be Paul Brown, or his father, but rather Charles Darwin. Both in team building concepts as well as game-planning week to week, as well as in-game adjustments, the SINGLE thing BB and his teams do FAR better than anyone else is adapt.

[Rawlsian]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I think he generally controlled Gronkowski in the past, but in this last game Gronkowski was his achilles heel.

You know, his other one.

[Angry fan]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

Gronk apparently suffered through a strained achilles and a bulging disk this year, which made him look slow and he was clearly less effective in the passing game, though his blocking was still stellar.

No it wasn't. You're blind as **** if you think Gronkowski's blocking was good this season. Watch that 1st Bills game on Monday Night Football and tell me if you thought Gronkowski looked right. He wasn't able to wham block 300 pound lineman anymore. He was losing blocks against edge defenders. He looked old and broken down even in blocking when he was hurting. He looked like the tight ends of this generation who couldn't block if their lives depended on it.

I mean just look at that Super Bowl on Sunday. Donta Hightower decleated Rams tight end Tyler Higbee who is supposed to be their "blocking tight end" lol!