Rob Gronkowski offered some advice this week to Joe Burrow on the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback’s contract talks.
Burrow spoke with the media on Tuesday and was asked about his contract situation. Burrow revealed that he is having talks with the Bengals but said he did not want to discuss too much of the situation with the media. Burrow also said that he is taking into consideration the contract situations for some of his teammates when it comes to his contract. Gronk thinks that is a good thing.
During an appearance on “Up and Adams” Wednesday, Gronk advised Burrow to take less money in order to ensure the Bengals have enough money to build around the quarterback.
Burrow should take a team-friendly deal….
-gronk
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— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) May 17, 2023
“What’s the difference? If you’re a quarterback … and you have good teammates around you, you’re building your legacy, you’re going to be in Super Bowl contention … and then you take a quarterback-friendly deal, what’s the difference between 47, 48 million, or 53, 54 million when the next-highest guy on your team is only getting paid in the 20s. There’s already that big of a difference between your pay and the next guy pay on your team. So who cares? If you want a team around you, take a couple million dollars less — which is nothing in the grand scheme for a quarterback,” Gronk said.
Gronk then compared the situation to what Tom Brady used to do with the New England Patriots.
“I’m waiting for a quarterback to kind of go down the Brady route. Not as much as the Brady route. He was taking freaking 50 percent discounts, which we don’t even get at the pro shop in New England!” Gronkowski joked.
Burrow has long said he wanted to take into account his teammates’ situations so that the Bengals can keep their best weapons, like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, rather than lose one of them. Whether he takes as big of a discount as Brady is a different story.
Burrow has played three seasons in the NFL. The 2020 No. 1 draft pick is set to make $11.5 million in 2023 and $29.5 million in 2024 as part of his fifth-year option. We will soon find out how his extension unfolds.
