Gronk slams potential blockbuster trade - 'fake news'
Trade rumors have swirled over the weekend regarding New England Patriots superstar Rob Gronkowski, and the affable tight end is firing back.
“It just shows how much fakes news is out there. Hashtag fake news that’s all I know. It’s true. It exists. See it all the time about me. It’s wild,” Gronkowski told reporters at his youth football camp, per WBZ-TV in Boston.
The unsourced rumors began on Friday and rapidly picked up steam, prompting a response from Gronkowksi on Saturday.
One of the more outlandish rumors speculated that Patriots coach Bill Belichick already had a trade in place with an unnamed team. Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady allegedly threatened to retire if Gronkowski were to be traded, which forced Patriots team owner Robert Kraft to intercede and put the kibosh on the trade.
“What a nice guy he is,” Gronkowski jokingly said about Brady. “But I haven’t talked to him. I didn’t even know about it until last night.”
“Fake news,” Gronkowski reiterated.
Of note, Gronkowski noted that while the most recent rumors regarding a trade were “fake news,” that doesn’t preclude a trade altogether.
“I have no clue,” Gronkowski said about a potential trade down the road.
Interestingly, NBC Sports published a report citing unnamed sources that claimed a Gronkowski contract extension is “likely” but “nothing is imminent.”
Despite the seemingly fake nature of the Gronkowski trade rumors, the most recent dash of drama for the Patriots has been the latest in an uncharacteristic offseason full of them.
Rumors of friction between Brady and Belichick have persisted since last season, with Belichick’s general disdain for Brady’s personal trainer going public.
From there, it’s been a roller-coaster ride for the Patriots, which is a stark departure from the no-frills environment Belichick has fostered in New England.
The Patriots lost the Super Bowl to a backup quarterback. A medley of former players and rivals have ripped the business-like atmosphere of the team. Star receiver Julian Edelman is facing a four-game suspension for failing a drug test. Brady and Gronkowski both skipped OTAs.
Gronkowski also sparked quite a bit of speculation when he openly opined about possibly retiring after the Super Bowl.
That last nugget is most interesting considering the current situation Gronkowski finds himself in. If retirement truly is looming for the star tight end, it would make total sense for Belichick to try and trade him. After all, Belichick has notoriously subscribed to the theory that it’s always better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late.
Gronkowski’s current contract runs through 2019, which will see him turn 30 years old. If these rumors are the “fake news” that Gronkowski swears they are, the most likely scenario would be for a slight contract restructure (so Gronkowski gets paid a little more upfront) leading to a significant decision on whether or not to continue playing football after next season.
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