The Pats players being denied incentive money

[dliverey44]

If any other 30-something was still playing the frat boy persona like Gronk does, he would be considered a loser.

Ummmm I don't think it is playing a persona. I think that is just him and why not, life is short if you want to be an idiot then be an idiot so long as you are not a danger to others.

 

[Spiral]

Someone wiser than me once said you should never meet your heroes.

 

[Sam Bam Cunningham]

I think the dude just likes to throw shade because it tweaks fans/press/team, take your pick.

He wants so desperately to be perceived as funny, so he will say anything that will get him attention or laughs. Its so easy to bash BB and the patriots on a show like Jimmy Kimmel, because literally the entire country outside of New England hates BB and the Pats because of all the winning.
Cheap shot by Gronk.

 

[Boomer B]

A while back Christian Fauria was talking about this subject on WEEI. He said something along the lines that Bill had his favourites. If you were a Bill favourite like Troy Brown he would put you in every position possible to get a bonus. He said there were times people would get pulled from games when they were very close to a bonus, and he mentioned Kevin Faulk was one time very pissed that he wasn’t getting played when he was close to a bonus.

That was the first time I’ve ever heard an ex-player go into detail about this type of thing. Maybe Bill has lightened up a bit since Fauria’s era, but from Gronks comments maybe it still happens.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

gronk needs to move on

 

[1960Pats]

I see that he is building his own drama and suspense regarding playing football in 2022.

Word as of late is that he would consider playing for only 1 lucky team. Stay tuned for the big announcement.

He is fun to watch though.

He'll come back as late as he possibly can and still get paid.

 

[1960Pats]

A while back Christian Fauria was talking about this subject on WEEI. He said something along the lines that Bill had his favourites. If you were a Bill favourite like Troy Brown he would put you in every position possible to get a bonus. He said there were times people would get pulled from games when they were very close to a bonus, and he mentioned Kevin Faulk was one time very pissed that he wasn’t getting played when he was close to a bonus.

That was the first time I’ve ever heard an ex-player go into detail about this type of thing. Maybe Bill has lightened up a bit since Fauria’s era, but from Gronks comments maybe it still happens.

If that's the word spreading across the NYFL it won't make Bill's job easier to bring in FAs.

 

[1960Pats]

that's what I thought. He is still a BOOB!

Perfect for Hollyweird.

 

[gobesmug]

Patriots Fans Worldwide​

Jesse Dunn · Apaiuripl 7o 9a4t 2ul:03l974e Pd1M ·

I posted a video this morning of Gronk taking shots at the Patriots for not allowing players to get their roster bonus incentives. And unsurprisingly, quite a few Pats fans in the group believe it to be true. These are two examples of what the Patriots have done just in the last few seasons to make sure they took care of their players. I can remember a handful of other instances of this as well.
Gronk has an agenda about something. Take it for what you will.

Gronk was clearly making a joke, relax. The Patriots and Belicheck specifically are universally hated, so it's an easy pop shot.

 

[Sicilian]

A while back Christian Fauria was talking about this subject on WEEI. He said something along the lines that Bill had his favourites. If you were a Bill favourite like Troy Brown he would put you in every position possible to get a bonus. He said there were times people would get pulled from games when they were very close to a bonus, and he mentioned Kevin Faulk was one time very pissed that he wasn’t getting played when he was close to a bonus.

That was the first time I’ve ever heard an ex-player go into detail about this type of thing. Maybe Bill has lightened up a bit since Fauria’s era, but from Gronks comments maybe it still happens.

I think this is the kind of thing where, depending on your perspective, you can read it a lot of different ways. (Also, disclaimer, Fauria is a talk show radio personality now, so his priority is to frame things in the most entertaining or provocative way). But from a fan perspective, I WANT Bill to reward his guys, assuming they're the guys that put in the work and exemplify the way he wants his team to play. That's positive reinforcement, and should be a good thing. But I can see a guy on the team who isn't one of those guys just reading it as "playing favorites". And not to say there may not be some truth to that, but it's hard to check the biases when the story is just, "Hey, this was always the word."

If that's the word spreading across the NYFL it won't make Bill's job easier to bring in FAs.

I feel like we've heard this a hundred times in the last few years, and the only thing that has ever stopped them from signing guys was money. When they have money to spend, guys come here. When they don't, they don't. These reputation stories are totally overblown, IMO.

 

[*ChungFu*]

How many games have been lost by the Patriots trying to evade bonus payments? Football games are played to be won and even some strategy is pointed toward the following game.
I would imagine that the NFLPA would have a small folder of complaints from players who have no chance of airing their grievances on a comedian's ***********.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

And they paid Brischi his salary when he had the stroke and could have used the NFI to avoid it if they had wanted to do so.

 

[Wozzy]

Here's an article from 2017 about how the Patriots pay the "middle class" of their roster...

Proving the Patriots pay the middle class of the NFL

"The Patriots are cheap...They don't pay anybody! - Anonymous annoying guy in your office. Somehow it is still only Thursday. For Patriots fans, the only time that moves slower that AFC...

www.patspulpit.com

Here's an article about how the Patriots are scheduled to spend a greater percentage of their salary cap on veteran "middle-tier" contracts than anyone in 2022.

With 2022 NFL Free Agency Now Underway, Where Did Patriots' Money Go?

The Patriots should have some financial flexibility with Mac Jones on a rookie contract, but as our Phil Perry writes, an inflated middle tier to make up for multiple draft misses complicates the books.

www.necn.com

The league isn't simply about "talent," as much as it's about depth of talent. Football is a war of attrition. When Gronk got hurt in 2016 the Pats won a Super Bowl because they had Martellus Bennett behind him.... they wouldn't have won without him.

That middle class is why the special teams units have been consistently good for two decades. Ask Aaron Rogers if special teams are important after watching Green Bay's Special Teams units make four mistakes in the playoffs which ended their season.

The Patriots are shrewed negotiators, they pay the entire roster, not just a few superstars. That's the Patriot Way. I'm a Patriot fan, the fact they are financially savvy does not bother me, it's only a good thing. If Gronk really cared about money he could have accepted that trade to Detroit, they would have given him a monster contract extension.... but he knew a good thing when he saw it and fought to return. Now he's just being a salty hypocrite.