Poll: What punishment will the NFL give to Gronk?

[The Brandon Five]

he had malicious intent, considering the stuff going with concussions, you wonder if he is parked the rest of the season for malice? anything other than 2 games without an appeal sets an awfully low precedent for TBI's.... not as a bills fan cause the bills are irrelevant, just my opinion given the context of the league and concussions, you could've only done one thing worse and had gronk do that to taylor, giving a QB a concussion on purpose.

The league doesn't really care about that stuff, sorry. They care about $$$$.

 

[primetime]

he had malicious intent, considering the stuff going with concussions, you wonder if he is parked the rest of the season for malice? anything other than 2 games without an appeal sets an awfully low precedent for TBI's.... not as a bills fan cause the bills are irrelevant, just my opinion given the context of the league and concussions, you could've only done one thing worse and had gronk do that to taylor, giving a QB a concussion on purpose.

He won't be suspended the rest of the season. More than a game or two at most pending appeal would be disproportionate to other similar suspensions like punching a guy or whatever, and it would lead to a court battle with the union. This isn't the kind of thing they're going to go to court for.

That doesn't mean it wasn't dirty. Gronk's one of my favorite players and, though emotions run high in games and I understand his frustration, this incident has really colored him in my eyes.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

He's definitely getting suspended, no question about it. The ESPN hacks are foaming at the mouth, Steven A Smith saying "a minimum of 3 games", Kellerman saying "the worst hit in the NFL all season and talking about brain-stem injuries"...Golic, hopefully the most realistic saying probably a 1 game suspension. What, a tragic error in judgement by Gronk. I voted 2 games reduced to 1 on appeal.

ESPN is playing the race card ....

What if a black player did it.....

Let’s be honest ..... If a black player did it,
They would be making excuses for him.

They were comparing Brady’s outburst to Josh, to sideline outbursts by black players.

How many times have you heard ESPN make excuses for a Dez Bryant sideline outburst?

 

[Tony2046]

he had malicious intent, considering the stuff going with concussions, you wonder if he is parked the rest of the season for malice? anything other than 2 games without an appeal sets an awfully low precedent for TBI's.... not as a bills fan cause the bills are irrelevant, just my opinion given the context of the league and concussions, you could've only done one thing worse and had gronk do that to taylor, giving a QB a concussion on purpose.

No doubt a dirty hit. It doesn't belong in the game. If the league is consistent it'll be a fine to a one game suspension.

Asking the league to apply a more severe punishment to Gronk's first time offense than they have to similar incidents and to repeat offenders is a biased response.

Aside from the length of the punishment I agree that it was a dirty hit.

 

[Billsfanonapatsforum]

you know his intent?

I didn't ask him, so therefore no? Because actions are not reflective of intent? Player is on the ground out of bounds face down... tell me what other intent there is in that situation?

 

[tasmlab]

this treating of some players and teams differently than others is exactly what gives the NFL credibility problems

I can certainly see that point, but it's reality in the NFL and, basically, every aspect of life. I mean it as an accolade.

 

[Billsfanonapatsforum]

No doubt a dirty hit. It doesn't belong in the game. If the league is consistent it'll be a fine to a one game suspension.

Asking the league to apply a more severe punishment to Gronk's first time offense than they have to similar incidents and to repeat offenders is a biased response.

Aside from the length of the punishment I agree that it was a dirty hit.

There are 2 reasons I say it could be more, is because the Patriots are scrutinized as league champions and held to some higher standard and generally treated unfairly. New England is the league champion, and no champion should have players acting like that and the situation in the context of concussions.

 

[Simpelton]

you know his intent?

Gronk is not being subtle here. He was frustrated and in a moment of blind rage took out his frustration on a defenseless player from the blind side.

This is worse than what Evans did because White was already on the ground. if you're pushed down from an upright position you can take steps to protect yourself and reduce the impact... if you're on the ground and 270 pounds of angry lands on top of you from behind, there's a lot less you can do to protect yourself.

 

[mosslost]

I think a bigger mea culpa apology from Gronk is going to be coming soon.

 

[FCB02062]

The NFL cares about money, public perception, and appeasing the media and the north east upper crust elites - Manhattan social scene, and increasingly social justice wars.
There is NO WAY Gronkowski gets off without at least a one game suspension. The NFL would open itself to a huge amount of criticism from the ESPN, NYT, WaPo, etc., social justice commandos if the league let a white player "get away with" a hitting a defenseless black player after the whistle.
Unfortunately that's the world we live in these days. The NFL offices will put their finger up and see which way the wind is blowing, and right now I'd say it's 90% that he should be suspended.
He was stupid, got caught up in the amount, and his frustration boiled over. He should've been ejected and later heavily fined, but Gene Sterratore is a complete ****ing imbecile and let that game get out of control in the Buffalo defensive backfield...

 

[Tony2046]

There are 2 reasons I say it could be more, is because the Patriots are scrutinized as league champions and held to some higher standard and generally treated unfairly. New England is the league champion, and no champion should have players acting like that and the situation in the context of concussions.

Well I think all players and teams should be held to the same standards. #parity right?

Whatever happens happens. Gronk's actions put himself in this situation and left himself vulnerable to whatever the league decides.

If the league throws the book at him I'm still pissed at Gronk for opening the door for the league to do so. So stupid.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

I find the comments in these threads very interesting. Seems like abut half the posters say something along the lines of "if someone else did this to us I'd be angry and demanding a suspension" and about half the posters try to minimize or excuse what Gronk did or play into the whole "NFL is trying to screw the Pats" thing. I got a "dislike" for a purely factual post that pointed out the player on the ground was out of bounds and had already been touched down.

Just interesting to see how much emotional involvement bleeds into interpretation of facts and judgement. Perhaps a microcosm for US politics right now.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

So, later on we're all fast breaking down the court. Without forethought I cross body block him full speed at mid court tossing him "out of the club" across the sand into a pine tree. Lying there dazed, his buddies all run over to him, I point and shout, "Now that! THAT's a foul!"

Dave Cowens's lawyer wants to talk to you about collecting royalties...

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Without a whistle the play is not over, so Gronk gets up, doesn't hear a whistle what else would you expect him to to do?

Since the player was on his stomach out of bounds, I would expect Gronk to do nothing or at most touch him down to be sure. Play not being over doesn't give any player an excuse to do what Gronk did. And he was taking some kind of shot at White. Look at Gronk's *right* arm. He extends it way out and bring it back fast just as he's landing on White.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

....you could've only done one thing worse and had gronk do that to taylor, giving a QB a concussion on purpose.

That's exactly what happened to Joe Flacco earlier this year. You say it would have been worse.
What did the player who concussed Flacco (Kiko Alonso?) get? A fine. That's all. Too little, granted, but the point is that the league ought to be CONSISTENT.

Kiko Alonso fined $9,115 for hit on Joe Flacco

 

[n1997y]

Maybe, but that would look too much like the league is orchestrating for the Steelers (which they would be).

What means this phrase "too much"?

You really think they care? With the non-calls on flagrant fouls against Gronk and the tricky tacky OPI calls on him? Get real.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

PR justice is always first option with the NFL. How does the PR fit into the narrative will be determinate factor. If the villagers have the torches and pitchforks out expect 2 games with an appeal soon after.
If the story is dying out then a hefty fine to possibly a 1 game.

 

[rochrist]

So let's say he gets 2 games, he can still appeal and play the next 2 game @Dolphins and @Steelers and then turn around and drop the appeal and sit out the last two games at home. Am I right?

If its 2 and he appeals they'll knock it down to one, like the did with Talib and Crabtree.

 

[rochrist]

Evans ran after a player, drilled him in the back, and got on top of him and punched him.....he got one game, and that was far more flagrant than this

Talib and Crabtree, one game. AJ Green, no games. Anything more than 1 game is ludicrous.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

What means this phrase "too much"?

You really think they care? With the non-calls on flagrant fouls against Gronk and the tricky tacky OPI calls on him? Get real.

You're probably right. My sentiment was that if it was becoming too obvious that the league was engineering results, the fans would object. Seems like there's very little that the NFL can do to alienate its fans to the point where they stop watching.