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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Danny Jaillet

Rob Gronkowski applied a Bill Belichick teaching point amid Antonio Brown tumult

Current Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski has had to deal with many situations in his professional career. As a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the tight end has taken lessons learned during his time with the New England Patriots and applied them to his current situation.

Controversy surrounded the tight end’s former teammate Antonio Brown throughout the 2021 season. With the Buccaneers losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC divisional round on Sunday, that added another layer of adversity for Gronkowski and the Buccaneers.

Even still, Gronkowski referred back to lessons he learned in New England, in order to steer clear of any difficult situations.

“When things like that happen, it’s a big story,” Gronkowski told TMZ. “You’ve got to just focus on what you’ve got to focus on, and that’s what a lot of guys did in the locker room. A lot of professionals in the locker room just stayed focused on what you’ve really got to do, and that’s basically what I did, too. Because that outside noise, it can affect you if you let it get to you. But if you just block it out — that’s one thing I learned in New England big time in the nine years I was there: Block out the outside noise. And I’ve got to totally agree with that, man. It’s going to stick with my life forever.”

The tight end recorded 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games played this season. He tallied nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in Tampa Bay’s two-game postseason run.

As he enters his 10th season in the NFL, he is set to enter free agency — so long as he doesn’t retire. If he lands back in Tampa, he figures to be a major part of the Tampa Bay passing attack in 2022.

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