Certainly great, Gronk isn’t the best TE ever. He had an injury-riddled career.
There’s a handful of tight ends in NFL history that could be called the greatest of all time. Guys like Tony Gonzalez, Ozzie Newsome, and Shannon Sharpe come to mind. Rob Gronkowski belongs in that conversation, and now, with his announced retirement, comparisons will now begin.
Gronk’s accomplishments include three Super Bowl rings in five trips to the Big Game during a nine-year career.
When Gronk was healthy, and on the field, he was as explosive a player as you’ll find. ‘Gronk-Mania’ was fueled by his ability to be nearly unstoppable — and on the dance floor where cameras would catch the young star in full WWE mode.
Gronk made a name for himself in a very ‘Un-Patriot’ way as far as the franchise was concerned. However, his incredible talent kept him in a New England uniform his entire NFL career.
FOXBORO, MA – Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots catches a touchdown pass in front of LaRon Landry #30 of the New York Jets during the game on October 21, 2012, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
But the eye test and the stats test are two different things. When you look at Gronk’s numbers vis-a-vis other great tight ends in league history, you see that his stats fall short–especially among those who wear Hall of Fame jackets.
But Gronk also achieved. He amassed 1,000 yards four times and was a touchdown machine for Tom Brady. His “Gronk Spike” became famous–and for a good reason. In 2011, Gronk led the league in touchdown catches with 17 and, over his career, he had double-digit season touchdown grabs five times.
And big old #87 played his best when it counted the most. In his illustrious playoff career, Gronk caught 81 passes for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a TE in the post-season, Gronkowski leads the NFL in all three of those categories.
But forget those numbers for a second and think about all the incredible plays Gronk made for the Pats. He ran through, jumped over, and pounded defenses. He was simply one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league. Defenders didn’t want to tackle him and defensive coordinators had headaches trying to gameplan against him.
And Gronkowski’s greatness goes well beyond his pass-catching ability. He was a great blocker.
While Rob Gronkowski’s numbers don’t match up with the greatest TEs of all time, he’s still considered to be one of the greatest TEs to wear a pro football uniform.
Gronk is the Terrell Davis of the tight end position. Davis played only seven NFL seasons, but he had a fantastic four-year run with the Denver Broncos, helping his team win two Super Bowls. In 1998, Terrell Davis joined the 2,000 rushing yard club, led the league with 21 rushing touchdowns, and won Super Bowl MVP honors.
Davis’ bust is now in Canton.
Despite Gronk’s injuries and time missed throughout his career, he will no doubt be in the Hall of Fame, just like Davis–most likely voted in on the first ballot. Gronk played long enough and put up amazing single-season numbers to make that lofty stature undeniable.
Rob Gronkowski could have been the greatest tight end in football history. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay healthy. Toward the end of his career, the Patriots used him as more of a decoy. It was hard to watch him run. You thought he had broken another bone every time his body hit the field.
I haven’t compiled my all-time TE list, but I can tell you without question that Gronk will be on it. But I can also tell you that he won’t be a top-three or–maybe not even a top-five–pick.
To be continued….
