FOXBORO, Mass. — “Mental toughness” is a phrase you hear a lot in the New England Patriots’ locker room. But Rob Gronkowski can find ways to apply it to anything.
The Patriots tight end was asked about his favorite Thanksgiving dish Wednesday, and “Chef Gronk” divulged how he makes his plate perfect.
“Stuffing,” Gronkowski said. “That always goes good with the turkey. When someone makes a dry turkey, you always need a cup of extra gravy or something on top of that. But stuffing always goes good. You just put the stuffing on top of whatever you’re about to eat, and it makes it delicious.”
But what if it’s a little too delicious? How does Gronk make sure he doesn’t overeat?
“There’s mental toughness right there,” Gronkowski said. “Knowing that you’ve got the huge pie in front of you and only eating a little piece even though you want to eat the whole pie. So definitely know what your limit is because I know anyone in this locker room can put down like six pounds of food and come in the next day a little sluggish.”
Gronkowski assured, however, that no Patriots would be eating the weight of a newborn come Thursday.
“You got to focus on that and not do that, but we’re not going to eat six pounds of turkey,” Gronkowski said. “I’m not going to even though I want to. If it’s the offseason I eat the whole pie.”
The veteran tight end has a routine when it comes to Thanksgiving, so he’s not really worried about pushing himself to the limit. And he stressed that Sunday night’s matchup with the Denver Broncos still will be in the back of his mind.
“I’ve been playing for six years, and this is my sixth Thanksgiving during the season,” Gronkowski said. “So just enjoy the food, enjoy your friends and family and have a good time, but at the same time, we’re just focused on the Denver Broncos this week, and we definitely got to prepare when it comes Sunday because it’s going to be a huge game.”
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
