The New England Patriots just won the Super Bowl, and it looks like they have a message for their coach. In a video posted to YouTube on Monday, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski can be seen interacting with Bill Belichick in a locker room.
The where is rob gronkowski from is a question that has been asked many times. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski just sent Bill Belichick a cold-blooded message without saying a single word.
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski definitely delivered a message Thursday night if deeds speak louder than words.
Who is the lucky recipient?
Bill Belichick, to be precise.
Ironically, the famous quarterback and his dependable sidekick didn’t even have to say a single word to convey their point. If the Buccaneers’ season-opening win was any indication, Belichick and the New England Patriots may be in for a harsh awakening next month when Brady and Gronk return to Gillette Stadium.
Bill Belichick can only hope that he has finally found Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski successors.
Do you think Belichick is second-guessing his decision to question two of the greatest players in NFL history?
Despite all of Brady’s contributions to the club, the greatest coach of all time attempted to move on from his longstanding quarterback the year before the Patriots earned their sixth Super Bowl championship. TB12, of course, outlasted Jimmy Garoppolo, and Belichick had to begin the search for a potential franchise quarterback all over again.
Brady’s relationship with his employer deteriorated, and it became apparent that the three-time MVP would not return to the Patriots to complete his career. Belichick didn’t say it out loud, but the fact that he let his team’s longstanding leader go in free agency suggests he believes he can win championships with someone else at the helm.
His lack of confidence in Brady’s ability to continue playing at a high level, though, clearly backfired.
Following a disappointing last season in Foxborough, the legendary quarterback disproved his detractors by putting together a great age-43 season that culminated in another Lombardi Trophy presentation.
While Belichick had more cause to be concerned about Gronkowski’s NFL prospects, it’s obvious that the flamboyant tight end still had something left in the tank when he retired following the 2018 season. Gronk, a five-time Pro Bowler, no longer has the speed or general burst that made him an unstoppable force in his heyday, but he did play a key part in the Buccaneers’ championship run.
How did Belichick deal with two major flaws in his starting lineup?
He made the mistake of betting on Cam Newton, who failed to live up to his lofty expectations. Due to a lack of NFL-level talent, the tight end position became a black hole in the offense.
Belichick can only hope that 2021 first-round selection Mac Jones and the high-paid duo of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry can fill the hole left by Brady and Gronkowski in terms of productivity.
Brady and Gronk delivered a cold-blooded message to their former employer without saying anything.
By thrashing the Cowboys in Week 1 of the 2021 season, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski continued to disprove Bill Belichick’s doubts. Getty Images/Julio Aguilar | Getty Images/Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
Unlike Bill Belichick, Bruce Arians had no qualms about constructing his system around an older quarterback. And he had no qualms about giving his new commander exactly what he wanted. After all, the Buccaneers acquired Gronkowski in a trade and signed polarizing wide receiver Antonio Brown. In the end, all three ex-Patriots were able to celebrate a championship together in February.
Belichick couldn’t have predicted that Brady and Gronk would still be ripping up defenses in 2021 when he started preparing for life beyond them four years ago. However, in Thursday’s victory against the Cowboys, the famous pair delivered a chilling message to their former employer without saying anything.
Brady looked closer to 24 than 44 in the opening game of his 22nd NFL season. He threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns on the night. On a Hail Mary heave and a bobbled grab attempt by Leonard Fournette, he had two interceptions.
In the 31-29 win, his 32-year-old tight end caught eight receptions for 90 yards and two scores. Gronkowski also looked to be in classic condition, which says volumes about his hard ethic and drive to keep his physique in top shape.
Brady and Gronk demonstrated to Belichick that they are far from done by destroying the Dallas defense. They seem to be hell-bent on making him regret not treating them with the respect they earned at the conclusion of their Patriots careers. Every touchdown they score together just makes Belichick seem worse for dismissing them. It’s obvious that he let a great quarterback and a rock-solid tight end go, and it’s unclear if New England can even reach the playoffs, much alone win the Super Bowl, in 2021.
Will Bill Belichick be able to sabotage the dynamic duo’s return to Gillette Stadium?
When the Buccaneers return to town in October, the Patriots will need some schematic magic to defeat them. Stephon Gilmore, the team’s top cornerback, began the season on the physically unable to perform list and will not play in this game. That isn’t good news for a New England defense that is short on depth at the position.
If Belichick wants to beat Brady, he’ll have to rely on his rebuilt front seven. Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Matt Judon, and Josh Uche, a potential second-year linebacker, must provide consistent pressure, while the defensive line must occupy blockers and offer an inside push. If that happens, the Patriots may have a chance to force a few of turnovers.
New England’s front five must dominate the line of scrimmage and find a way to keep Mac Jones out of harm’s way on the opposite side of the ball. Given Tampa’s wealth of pass-rushing talent, that’s easier said than done, but the Patriots have an outstanding offensive line that seems capable of exerting its will on just about anybody.
Bill Belichick’s odds of sending Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski home with a defeat, on the other hand, don’t seem to be very good. Despite losing two legends, the Buccaneers have the greatest roster in the NFL, while the Patriots have the fourth-oldest (and definitely not the most skilled).
Pro Football Reference provided all statistics.
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