Patriots Notes: Rob Gronkowski Won’t Revisit Controversial Panthers Loss

FOXBORO, Mass. — Some notes and nuggets from Thursday’s New England Patriots media availability at Gillette Stadium:

— Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly on Wednesday reflected on the controversial final play of Carolina’s 2013 win over the New England Patriots, admitting he interfered with tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone.

Asked Thursday to take a similar trip down memory lane, Gronkowski declined.

“That was 2013,” he said with a smile. “I don’t want to have to listen about how I went back to 2013. (Patriots media relations boss Stacey James) prepped me, too. He was like, ‘You can’t talk about that, about 2013.’ I’m only looking forward.

“But (Kuechly) might be right.”

Gronkowski’s desire — and instruction — to stay in the present mirrors the stance of Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who said after New England’s season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs he was “not really interested in living in the past.”

— After suffering a concussion in Week 1 that sidelined him for one game, wide receiver Danny Amendola decided to make a change: He swapped helmets, ditching his trusty old bucket for a newer, more advanced model.

Amendola wore the new helmet in Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans. On Thursday, he explained to the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe why he upgraded.

“It’s top level, the best they make,” Amendola said. “They’re constantly making new (helmets), testing them out and trying to improve them. Mine was an older model to begin with, and I could have upgraded, so I did.”

The 31-year-old wideout credited Patriots equipment manager Brenden Murphy for suggesting the change.

“He’s the best in the entire world,” Amendola told Howe. “He saved my life.”

Amendola caught three passes for 48 yards in his return to action, including a 27-yard pickup on third-and-18 that set up Tom Brady’s game-winning touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks.

— The Patriots struggled to contain dynamic Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson last weekend, sacking him just twice despite generating plenty of pressure. This Sunday, they’ll face another dual-threat QB in Carolina’s Cam Newton, who has the added benefit of being 6-foot-5, 245 pounds.

“He’s definitely a bigger quarterback, so he’s even tougher to get down,” defensive end Trey Flowers said. “So we know we’ve got our work cut out for us this week, as well.”

Though hitting the quarterback can be a dangerous proposition in today’s NFL, Flowers said the Patriots can’t be afraid to be physical with Newton.

“You’ve just got to be physical with him and understand that even though he’s big, he can also run fast and is very agile,” he said. “So you’ve got to break down and be able to get him down when you get the opportunity.”

— LeGarrette Blount’s spirit lives on Foxboro.

— Wide receiver Julian Edelman used his Instagram account to give fans a sneak peek of his new book, “Relentless: A Memoir,” which is set to hit stores Oct. 24.

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Edelman currently is on injured reserve after tearing his ACL during the preseason.

Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images