Rob Gronkowski will always be remembered for being part of three Super Bowl champion teams for the New England Patriots, but the tight end is doing himself too many favors in the eyes of Patriots fans these days.
Gronk stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week and took a not-so-subtle shot at New England when talking about bonus payments. Rob was discussing how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept him in a game last season to ensure that he qualified for multiple $500,000 bonuses based on catches and yards. Kimmel then asked him if he’s ever seen a situation where other NFL teams keep a player in the game to make sure they get their performance bonus.
“I’ve seen that happen before. Not with the Patriots, though,” Gronkowski said. “They’ll probably pull you before you hit that bonus there…I shouldn’t have said that.”
Rob Gronkowski on the #Bucs leaving him in the game to get his catch bonus last season: "I've seen that happen before. Not with the Patriots, though. They'll probably pull you before you hit that bonus there…"
"I shouldn't have said that."
pic.twitter.com/p6ohcaT2gQ — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 7, 2022
Gronkowski may or may not have been serious about that. It is Gronk, after all. But some Patriots fans voiced their displeasure at the free-agent tight end who has taken some playful shots at the organization over the years since leaving.
I really can’t stand this guy anymore. The pats gave him bonuses always https://t.co/hLVm0LHUDM
— Ryan Humphrey (@ryanhump11) April 7, 2022
Has any major Boston athlete been more annoying and disrespectful to his former team than Gronk? Screw this guy. #ForeverNE https://t.co/PDaydGM7CN
— Brian Higgins (@bhiggins71) April 7, 2022
https://twitter.com/ThatDaveBrown/status/1512095724472778754
Thats just a blatant lie by Gronk https://t.co/X9jQ8uJ24I pic.twitter.com/2OGX8bMDqw
— Robert Alvarez (@ralvarez617) April 7, 2022
Gronk clearly was just trying for an easy joke but if we’ve learned anything over the years it’s that Boston sports fans aren’t very appreciative of jokes at their expense. That’s especially true when it’s a guy who left to go win a Super Bowl with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay while their Patriots have regressed (but don’t tell them we said that…).
If Gronkowski does return to play in the NFL this season for Tampa Bay, it’s probably for the best that they don’t play at New England this year.