Defending New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is no easy task, but one Denver Broncos defender revealed how he plans on doing it Sunday during the AFC Championship Game. And Patriots fans aren’t going to like it.
Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. was asked this week during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” how to tackle Gronk, and his answer centered around one glaring weak spot for the tight end.
“You gotta hit him low, man — hit him in his knees,” Harris told ESPN, via Business Insider. “That’s the best chance you have of hitting him.”
He added: “You gotta take his legs out or hold on and wait for everybody, wait for the gang to come on and gang tackle him.”
That’s certainly not the answer the Patriots or their fans would like to hear, considering Gronkowski’s knee injury history. Gronk’s 2013 season was cut short after he sustained a blow to the knee region, and it appeared the same happened earlier this season against the Broncos, although the injury wasn’t season-threatening.
But with the current NFL rules not allowing for hits above the shoulder on receivers, defenders have limited options when going up against a player like Gronk. However, that doesn’t ease the worry of another Gronkowski knee injury — it only heightens it.
You can hear Harris Jr.’s full answer in the video below.
Thumbnail photo via Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports Images
