Gronk Gronks Into History

[IllegalContact]

Jimmy graham is better cuz he doesn't get hurt

 

[scott99]

Have a very Holly Gronky Christmas, and all throughout the year.....

 

[DaBronxPats14]

And he just got started.

 

[FortressX]

Go Gronk.

 

[JJDChE]

If he retired today, dude gets into the HOF. Best TE ever.

Yup. The HOF is about greatness not compiling stats. Gronk has been the most dominant player at his position (maybe any position) since he entered the league. He's in now.

 

[scott99]

Yup. The HOF is about greatness not compiling stats. Gronk has been the most dominant player at his position (maybe any position) since he entered the league. He's in now.

Very true. Gale Sayers only played 5 years, but was so dominant he made the Hall of Fame his first try. Different sport, but Bobby Orr played a little over 7 full seasons and made the Hall Of Fame. It's all about greatness. Gronk has broken so many records in only 6 seasons, and has been so dominant, he's definitely a first ballot Hall of Famer.

 

[ChessToCheckers]

And ...... Gronk even has an "Offensive Pass Interference" rule all to his own.

 

[mosi]

If he retired today, dude gets into the HOF. Best TE ever.

He is one of the best receiving and blocking tight ends. Nobody even comes close. Gonzalez was a receiver as is Witten. Bavaro was a mauler with OK hands but burned out quickly. Who else is even in the running? Ozzie? Winslow? Mackey?

 

[everlong]

Some interesting Gronk numbers...

He needs two TDs this post season to become the all time leader for TE's. Currently the mark is 7 held by Dave Casper and Vernon Davis. Davis will be active in the post season so obviously that is subject to change. Casper is interesting because 5 of his TDs came in one playoff year a mark that even Gronk may not best. I have to give Davis some props I never realized just how good his playoff numbers are. He and Gronk are in a class by themselves.

Gronk...... 8 games, 6TDs, 70.1 YPG
Davis.........8 games, 7 TDs, 75 YPG
Gonzalez. 7 games, 4TDs, 40.9 YPG
Sharpe....18 games, 4TDs, 45.2 YPG
Gates......10 games, 1 TDs, 40.9 YPG
Witten....7 games, 0 TDs, 61 YPG

Regular season

Gronk......77 games, 64 TD, 5397 yards, 70.1 YPG
Gonzalez 270 games, 111 TD, 15127 yards, 56 YPG
Davis........145 games, 55 TD, 5836 yards, 40.2 YPG
Sharpe......204 games, 62 TD, 10060 yards, 40.3 YPG
Gates.........187 games, 103 TD, 10511 yards, 56.2 YPG
Witten.......204 games, 59 TD, 11096 yards, 54.4 YPG

And this speaks nothing to the fact that he's the only one of the lot who can block better than Hines Ward or Art Monk.

If he continues on his current pace he'll pass Gonzalez in TDs with over 120 less games played. He's already passed all but Gates and Gonzalez as it is.

He'll never stay healthy enough for it to happen but he would pass Gonzalez in yards as well with over 50 less played.

As far as the hall goes if he never played another down I think he gets in but they make him wait. It's like Gayle Sayers and Terrell Davis. The first is in for a flash less that of Gronk but the latter isn't because of the log jam. I'd take either at their peak over a Jerome Bettis who got in for being better than average for a really long time.

If Gronk finishes this year and two more at this level he would be right at 100 TDs and 8000 yards in so many few games than the others. I think that would make him a first ballot lock. Plus he would likely be at 6 1,000 yard seasons and 5 1,000 yard plus 10+ TD seasons. He would likely still own the TD receptions in a season mark, the yardage in a season mark. He'll probably own just about all the career playoff numbers as well.

It just comes down to IF he can stay healthy.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

From Reiss:

We should trade him though because he injured his knee and didn't rush back to practice as quickly as a couple posters would have liked

 

[ausbacker]

The thing that impresses me most about Gronk is despite his goofy, bigger than life appearance, there lurks some serious football intelligence. It's no wonder Brady loves and trusts him so much. They see the same thing on the field and both adjust to take advantage of that. The only other person I've seen be in sync with Brady (to this level) is Randy Moss.

 

[Gronk]

He is one of the best receiving and blocking tight ends. Nobody even comes close. Gonzalez was a receiver as is Witten. Bavaro was a mauler with OK hands but burned out quickly. Who else is even in the running? Ozzie? Winslow? Mackey?

Ditka

 

[JJDChE]

If Gronk finishes this year and two more at this level he would be right at 100 TDs and 8000 yards in so many few games than the others. I think that would make him a first ballot lock. Plus he would likely be at 6 1,000 yard seasons and 5 1,000 yard plus 10+ TD seasons. He would likely still own the TD receptions in a season mark, the yardage in a season mark. He'll probably own just about all the career playoff numbers as well.

It just comes down to IF he can stay healthy.

Gronk is a first ballot lock right now. You're making arguments for 'compilers'. Gronk's stats don't matter. Guys who dominate the way he has, who are feared, get in on the first ballot. There is still a time aspect, I think about 5 years does it. I don't think TD will get in, despite his short term dominance. Gronk has passed the time requirement (see Gale Sayers). Locked in.

 

[BritPat]

Belichick doesn't rate him above Bavaro. That's some testament.

 

[everlong]

Gronk is a first ballot lock right now. You're making arguments for 'compilers'. Gronk's stats don't matter. Guys who dominate the way he has, who are feared, get in on the first ballot. There is still a time aspect, I think about 5 years does it. I don't think TD will get in, despite his short term dominance. Gronk has passed the time requirement (see Gale Sayers). Locked in.

I said he would get in. I said he would have to wait. Being a Patriots and Gronk fan I'd like him to go in with the highest honors like Brady and be a first ballot member. If his career ended today many voters would look at the end numbers and he would get stockpiled behind Gonzalez, Gates and Witten.

For perspective Kellen Winslow Senior wasn't a first ballot HOFer. Considering the era you could make a case he was more dominant vs the competition of his era. His number were dominant.

Kellen Winslow NFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

If he couldn't get in first ballot Gronk wouldn't at this point. I do think Gonzalez will be the first, first ballot TE. Witten even with his numbers will wait and so will Gates especially with the PED suspension. To be a first ballot Gronk needs two more years at this level to go first ballot IMO based on the committee's track record. As is he might not make it for at least 7 or 8 ballots.

 

[willard]

Remember Ben Coates breakout game where he carried folks down the sideline. Always thought he was a pretty good blocker too.

Gronk is out of this world.

Yeah we have had BB and Brady, but it has been players like Gronk and many others that have had greatness leading the Pats to the superbowl.

 

[Wheelman]

He is one of the best receiving and blocking tight ends. Nobody even comes close. Gonzalez was a receiver as is Witten. Bavaro was a mauler with OK hands but burned out quickly. Who else is even in the running? Ozzie? Winslow? Mackey?

Witten blocks too. The only TE who has a higher percentage snap count since 2010 most likely is Witten over Gronk.

 

[JJDChE]

I said he would get in. I said he would have to wait. Being a Patriots and Gronk fan I'd like him to go in with the highest honors like Brady and be a first ballot member. If his career ended today many voters would look at the end numbers and he would get stockpiled behind Gonzalez, Gates and Witten.

For perspective Kellen Winslow Senior wasn't a first ballot HOFer. Considering the era you could make a case he was more dominant vs the competition of his era. His number were dominant.

Kellen Winslow NFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

If he couldn't get in first ballot Gronk wouldn't at this point. I do think Gonzalez will be the first, first ballot TE. Witten even with his numbers will wait and so will Gates especially with the PED suspension. To be a first ballot Gronk needs two more years at this level to go first ballot IMO based on the committee's track record. As is he might not make it for at least 7 or 8 ballots.

I think that's a reasonable argument.

I'd still say he has a good first ballot shot, even after this season, due to pure dominance, name recognition, and all-around play. It's interesting that Winslow took three tries. I think the fact that Jackie Smith got in ahead of him in 1994 is also a good indication of how the voters value the impact of an all-around TE vs. a pure receiver. Gronk's all-around play separates him from the likes of Winslow.

 

[everlong]

I think that's a reasonable argument.

I'd still say he has a good first ballot shot, even after this season, due to pure dominance, name recognition, and all-around play. It's interesting that Winslow took three tries. I think the fact that Jackie Smith got in ahead of him in 1994 is also a good indication of how the voters value the impact of an all-around TE vs. a pure receiver. Gronk's all-around play separates him from the likes of Winslow.

Jackie Smith retired 9 years before Winslow with more receiving yards than Winslow. It points more to how the hall clusters guys together and will put in the player who's been waiting long unless a player comes along who's a clear first ballot player. Andre Reed just went in this year after waiting a long time. Is he a better player than Marvin Harrison or Isaac Bruce?

The only guys who are going in first ballot are the guys who had both a high peak and longevity. One or the other gets you the waiting list. Shannon Sharpe who had both plus championships he played a big role in didn't go first ballot.

I'm not saying I agree. At his peak Gronk's the GOAT. But the voters history says he would wait. Hell Borges won't even advocate for him out of spite as the local representative.

 

[everlong]

Witten blocks too. The only TE who has a higher percentage snap count since 2010 most likely is Witten over Gronk.

Witten to his credit is the best blocker of the rest after Gronk but he's still not taking on the DL as Gronk is asked to at times.