Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski cut short his retirement and joined his quarterback Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 43-year-old Brady signed a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Buccaneers while the Patriots shipped Gronkowski to Tampa Bay for a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The move reunited Brady and Gronkowski after a nine-year partnership in New England, where they connected for 7,786 yards and 78 touchdowns. In a video conference with reporters, Gronkowski provided an update on Brady after working closely with him in training camp.
"From my eyes, just looking at him, he looks refreshed," said Gronkowski, adding that Brady looks ready to go and ready to play every single day. “He's motivated every day,” the tight end added. Gronkowski added that Brady’s work also gets everyone better and elevates everybody’s game when the veteran quarterback is on the field. The veteran tight end also said that Brady can still sling it, saying the quarterback’s arm may actually be stronger than when he was still 33, which he described as “incredible.” "His arm looks like when I first got into the league," said Gronkowski, who connected with Brady on a deep pass during Tuesday’s training camp. Gronkowski’s remark came after Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans praised Brady’s work ethic and called him a “living legend.”
Gronkowski happy with decision to return
During the interview, Gronkowski said he is happy with his decision to return and sign with the Buccaneers after a one-year retirement.
"Definitely no regrets. I'm here. I feel like I'm supposed to be here," Gronkowski said, adding that “going out there and just playing ball, it feels good.” According to the tight end, his confidence level is going up day by day and he is starting to get accustomed to the offense of head coach Bruce Arians. Gronkowski will play alongside tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J.
Howard with the Buccaneers.
Hoyer learning from fellow Patriots’ quarterbacks
One of the interesting things during the Patriots’ training camp is the competition for the starting job vacated by Brady. Early in the offseason, it looked like second-year player Jarrett Stidham will take the job and veteran Brian Hoyer will serve as backup and mentor.
However, the Patriots had other plans as they threw 2015 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Cam Newton into the mix by signing him to a one-year, incentive-laden contract. With the move, the starting job is now up for grabs. Recently, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said that he might consider using a two-quarterback platoon to maximize their respective skill sets. But for Hoyer, training camp gives them a chance to learn from each other while competing for the starting position. “Competition makes everyone better,” added the 34-year-old Hoyer, per a report by Chris Mason of MassLive.com.
