My favorite Gronk spike, from a whole bunch of highlight spikes
And it’s nice that he was also huge in the AFC Championship game, having caught the last pass Brady threw on the way to the game winning run. Never mind his run blocking there too.Man I wish he got in the end zone on that last catch. Still glad he played a major role in the last go-ahead Super Bowl TD in his last game.
Yes. That's the clip I always show to anyone who didn't know Gronk well enough for my tastes.Also, this:
Brady, Gronk and Hannah but not Moss I’m guessing. Moss had the freakish talent, like Gronk, but Jerry Rice. Also short time with NE for Moss. Happy to see Brady got to play with another Hall of Famer when Moss left. Thanks, Mr. Gronkowski.It is incredibly rare to see the ultimate performer at any skill. The Patriots have had three players in the franchise' history who were the best to ever to play their positions. Gronk was one of them. He will be missed, but he goes out on top. Thanks 87.
I mean, don't get me wrong, Troy Brown was great, but what was his position? His greatness was from doing 4-5 things amazingly well.It is incredibly rare to see the ultimate performer at any skill. The Patriots have had three players in the franchise' history who were the best to ever to play their positions. Gronk was one of them. He will be missed, but he goes out on top. Thanks 87.
It’s crazy that Gronk is only 29. That didn’t sink in until now. Wow. I feel like I’ve been watching him for much longer than that. Is he the best Boston athlete to retire before age 30 since Bobby Orr? Probably.Retiring now, before the age of 30. I always knew he was sneaky smart.
This speaks to my emotions big time right now. I'm thankful I got to see Rob Gronkowski play. On an emotional level Rodney Harrison, Ortiz, Pedro and Jeter retiring hit me similarly. I also had a weird nostalgic moment when I realized Papelbon wasn't going to get another MLB gig. Gronk is a big one, though. It was an honor to watch a first ballot HOFer spend his entire career playing for the Patriots.I'm feeling nothing but the ultimate sadness of not being able to watch one of my favorite players of all-time take the field again. There's 2 players personally that I have felt this sad about hearing retirement: Papi and now Gronk. Gronk was not only the best to ever play at his position, but he played the game with such absolute joy and passion for the game. He never embarrassed the uniform or his teammates with any off-the-field issues. He embraced the Boston and New England communities with countless charity endeavors. I could not be any happier for Rob to have worn the Patriots uniform. The ultimate respect for a player is to make the most important plays of a game when everyone in the building knows the ball is coming their way. He did this so many times it is hard to count. To end your career on such a high note as he did in the AFCCG and SB53 catching the most important passes of each game when everyone knew the ball was going to him speaks to how great he is. I could go on and on about how much I loved watching him. He was one of the best teammates too. The last couple of years he took on more and more of a role as a blocker and never ONCE did he complain about his touches. In this day and age of me-me-me athletes, he did the job he was asked to do and he did it better than anyone. I will miss the hell out of him.
Oh, I know it was only 6/100 1 TD but you have to throw the 2014 Cincinnati game in there.Some personal favorite games/plays of Gronk as a receiver.
--2011 Washington game. He was completely unstoppable.
--2011 AFC Divisional game vs. Denver. 10-145-3. If he wasn't Pollard'd the next week, they beat the Giants no questions asked.
--2012 London game vs. STL.
--2012 dominated until Colts game and the broken arm.
--2013 completely torching Pittsburgh for 9-143-1.
--2014 Bears game when he ran through the entire defense for a TD on the way to a 9-149-3 day.
--2014 Colts threw Sergio Brown out the club.
--2014 Denver SNF comeback game. That one-handed catch.....
--2014 Divisional game he got open whenever he wanted to spark the comeback along with the double pass.
--2014 SB he was unguardable as KJ Wright found out.
--2015 season opener against Pittsburgh yet again trashing that defense.
--2015 GW TD against the Jets.
--2015 at the Giants torching that D for a 76 yard TD.
--2015 AFCCG might be the best game he's ever played. Brady had nobody to throw to and he was double and triple teamed but still got 8-144-1.
--2016 4 of his 8 games played he had 90 yards receiving or more.
--2017 completely dominated Buffalo and Pittsburgh in back to back weeks(9-147 and 9-168)
--2017 SB he shredded Philly(9-116-2)
--2018 AFCCG and SB are signature games.
“I told my brother before I came to the game, ‘I’m gonna make 12 look like Tom Brady again, baby,'” Gronkowski said. “And I went out there with my teammates and we made Tom Brady look like Tom Brady after you guys were criticizing him all week. The fans, everything. And it feels so good and he’s such a leader and he went over 50,000 yards today. He’s an unbelievable player and I’m so glad to play with him.”/QUOTE]
The playoff moments were great but, for me, I’ll remember Gronk most for his utter destruction of the Steelers. In 7 career games against them, he had the following stats:When the chips were down, we always had a mismatch in Gronk. Dammit, I'm taking this harder than I thought I would. The TD over the top against Seattle will always be a favorite, as was throwing that fool out of the club and "I just juked like SIX GUYS!".
Dammit. I'm gonna miss him. Shine on, you crazy diamond.
I hear ya, but there's something perfectly appropriate about making a huge, athletic, hands-y reception down the field, then following it up with a devastating block to spring Michel for the Super Bowl-winning TD. The two elements of his game featured back-to-back under the brightest lights as he rides off into the sunset.Man I wish he got in the end zone on that last catch. Still glad he played a major role in the last go-ahead Super Bowl TD in his last game.
No, but he did retire with 79 touchdowns in 115 games.I didn't think today would be the day. I always expected him to announce his retirement on March 69th.
That’s a touchdown rate of .69 TDs per gameNo, but he did retire with 79 touchdowns in 115 games.
This is some kaballah shitThat’s a touchdown rate of .69 TDs per game
Probably could have been more specific but I'm speaking of Hannah, Brady and Gronk. You saying Vinatieri brings that position into play as well. Not necessarily for this thread but has any other team had as many "best ever" performers at as many spots?I mean, don't get me wrong, Troy Brown was great, but what was his position? His greatness was from doing 4-5 things amazingly well.
(I assume you probably meant Vinatieri and if not him then Hannah, but still)
My quick calculations had only Don Hutson at .85 and Randy Moss at .71 at a better receiving TD rate per game. Gronk edges out Jerry Rice's .65. Gronk also had 12 post season TD receptions in only 16 games.That’s a touchdown rate of .69 TDs per game
Which one of you assholes told Gronk this and caused his retirement?That’s a touchdown rate of .69 TDs per game
I stuck this in the game thread postgame:Man I wish he got in the end zone on that last catch. Still glad he played a major role in the last go-ahead Super Bowl TD in his last game.
If that was Gronks last catch, as Leonard Cohen wrote,
"If I have to remember, that's a fine memory."
Gronk retiring, freeing up all kinds of cap space, allowing the Pats to make corresponding moves, only to have him return for the postseason run, would be absolutely amazing. I don't see it happening but it would be great.FWIW, his agent says he wouldn't be shocked if he returns late in season.
NFL fans would collectively lose their minds.Gronk retiring, freeing up all kinds of cap space, allowing the Pats to make corresponding moves, only to have him return for the postseason run, would be absolutely amazing. I don't see it happening but it would be great.
Wasn’t there talk of him going into wrestling? Sounds like the script...NFL fans would collectively lose their minds.
I really hope it happens.
Coincidentally Willie McGinest said the same thing a couple of weeks ago.FWIW, his agent says he wouldn't be shocked if he returns late in season.
Couldn't you picture the Pats losing late in a game but they have the ball on the 5 yard line. Pats call a TO and the lights start flashing on the lighthouse and then Romo breaks in, "By God, that's Gronk's music!" as he comes running out of the tunnel.Wasn’t there talk of him going into wrestling? Sounds like the script...
I’d also add that he laid a huge block on the ensuing 1 yard TD plunge to seal the game. Perfect player.Globe's Tara Sullivan on Gronk's final catch:
"It was everything Gronk is about.
It was clutch, setting up New England’s go-ahead touchdown one play later. It was tough, completed down the left seam of the field while defenders both nipped at his heels and clawed at his arms. It was athletic, moving this tree-trunk like body as if it were made only of flowing branches. It was smart, born of so many practice reps with Brady that it could be effected as routine, even when the stakes were at their highest.
It was real. And it was spectacular."
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2019/03/24/rob-gronkowski-final-playoff-run-was-perfect-ending-for-pivotal-patriot/LAxXmm4PdpUVQqNIdQ6GBK/story.html