Rob Gronkowski has grown accustomed to being criticized for the way he carries himself during the offseason. Last year, the “Summer of Gronk” became all the rage among football fans and party animals. The New England Patriots tight end got off on the same foot again this year when he was spotted wrestling on-stage in Las Vegas with a cast on his surgically repaired forearm.
Patriots fans cringed when they saw that video, especially when you take into account that Gronkowski’s arm has needed multiple surgeries. However, Gronk told “Mike and Mike in the Morning” on Wednesday that he would never jeopardize his health like that.
“They’re my fans,” Gronkowski told the hosts, via ESPNBoston.com. “They’re looking out for … they’re big fans of the Patriots and they just want to see the team do well. I totally understand where the fans are coming [from], where they don’t want [me] to put myself in jeopardy of getting hurt. I totally understand that. I would never do that, put myself in jeopardy.”
When asked whether or not the team had spoken to him about his antics, Gronk stuck to the Patriot way and said anything he talks about with them is “confidential.” However, it seemed fairly obvious that Belichick was not pleased about the Vegas wrestling when he was asked about it last week.
Gronk, who clearly loves having a good time as evidenced by this T-shirt, admitted that he is still adjusting to life in the spotlight.
“It’s a little different,” he said. “Growing up, just doing whatever you want and no one looking at you and no one really caring, and now you go out … I was in the airport on the way here and everyone has their camera out videoing me walking through the airport. It’s weird at first, but you just can’t let it get to your head at all, affect you at all and just keep doing what you’ve been doing since Day 1, which I have been.”
The 23-year-old seems to have calmed down a bit since Super Bowl week, which makes you wonder if the Patriots have already had “the talk” with him. Whatever the case, New England fans have seen their past two seasons end with losses while Gronk was battling serious injuries. That’s where the concern stems from, and Gronk seems to understand that. If not, he’s a pretty good liar.
