Gronk to retire

[manxman2601]

Nink had a press conference.

I knew there was someone obvious I was missing. I think he qualifies.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I knew there was someone obvious I was missing. I think he qualifies.

He does in my book.

 

[Deus Irae]

He’ll probably make it to the HOF, but I always crack up when people here claim that he was the greatest TE to ever play the game.

Why do you crack up when people say that the greatest TE to ever play the game was the greatest TE to ever play the game?

I ask because Gronk was, without question, the greatest TE to ever play the game.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Kraft said there’s a bunch of jerks in the league but Gronk wasn’t one of them. Gronk came in handy at just the right time for the team.

As @Todd Bradley noted, the Twitter responses are savage. Gronk (his shirtless pose with a porn star) treating his sex workers better than Kraft, etc....

 

[zipster9]

If only he announced 1 wk ago. Jared Cook would have been a Patriot. Jared said he did not want to be a "backup TE".

Now Patriots are behind the 8-ball...

 

[Tuck]

shouldn't have cheaped out on Gronk

You're in denial.

 

[bormio]

Why do you crack up when people say that the greatest TE to ever play the game was the greatest TE to ever play the game?

I ask because Gronk was, without question, the greatest TE to ever play the game.

What TE dominated games the way Gronk did? Both as a receiver and blocker. First down and RZ target and deep threat. No TE ever had his skill set - and that is not even a close call.

 

[LJRomanoff]

the team knows what it's doing..no one was implying that.

People imply that all day long here. It's something of a Patsfans.com trademark.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

If only he announced 1 wk ago. Jared Cook would have been a Patriot. Jared said he did not want to be a "backup TE".

Now Patriots are behind the 8-ball...

Just my opinion, but if those are the exact words that Jared Cook used, given Belichick's use of 2 TE sets from the Graham/Watson days through the Gronk/Bennett days and the many other attempts (successful and unsuccessful) during this run, then I'm glad we didn't sign someone that dumb.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

What TE dominated games the way Gronk did? Both as a receiver and blocker. First down and RZ target and deep threat. No TE ever had his skill set - and that is not even a close call.

If there had been any question at all, last season was the final layer. As a blocker alone he was still the most important non-QB on the field. By the way, he STILL averaged 9.4 yards per target last season, which is about the same as an elite wide receiver.

 

[farn]

If only he announced 1 wk ago. Jared Cook would have been a Patriot. Jared said he did not want to be a "backup TE".

Now Patriots are behind the 8-ball...

I don’t understand the whole “he screwed us” angle.

A second rounder was at the top of his profession for 9 years. In 16 playoff games (a full season’s worth) he was 80+ catches. 1100+ yards. 12 TDs.

Gronk only screwed opponents (and possibly their gfs).

 

[LJRomanoff]

I'm probably missing someone obvious, but who was the last great Patriot to retire as a Patriot? Faulk? And presumably Bruschi before him?

Faulk and Matt Light, in 2011.

 

[bormio]

If there had been any question at all, last season was the final layer. As a blocker alone he was still the most important non-QB on the field. By the way, he STILL averaged 9.4 yards per target last season, which is about the same as an elite wide receiver.

How many elite edge rushers never laid a hand on Brady because of Gronk?

 

[manxman2601]

Faulk and Matt Light, in 2011.

It's nice that not all of them left to finish off their career elsewhere.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Why do you crack up when people say that the greatest TE to ever play the game was the greatest TE to ever play the game?

I ask because Gronk was, without question, the greatest TE to ever play the game.

And it’s not even close.

 

[IcyPatriot]

If only he announced 1 wk ago. Jared Cook would have been a Patriot. Jared said he did not want to be a "backup TE".

Now Patriots are behind the 8-ball...

You make a life decision based on YOUR LIFE ... and he did ...
I could care less if he announced after the draft - he gave all he had and we enjoyed it.
Teams generally do not care when they cut players - look at both sides.

 

[Mack Herron]

Who else can do these things?

 

[primetime]

If only he announced 1 wk ago. Jared Cook would have been a Patriot. Jared said he did not want to be a "backup TE".

Now Patriots are behind the 8-ball...

I'm sure the Patriots have had an indication this was coming for some time. He didn't blindside them. I wouldn't weep too hard about missing out on Cook anyways. He's fine but nothing special (though the TE position is bleak nowadays). And it seems like he had zero interest in going anywhere but New Orleans.

 

[IcyPatriot]

 

[TheRainMaker]

@mosslost - time to start a thread stating the answer at TE.