FOXBORO, Mass. — Most New England Patriots players tiptoed around the inevitable questions about their epic Super Bowl LI comeback this week, trying to direct reporters’ focus back toward the present.
Rob Gronkowski took a more direct approach.
When asked Wednesday to reflect on the Super Bowl, Gronkowski said he and his teammates had been explicitly told not to discuss that game.
“We’ve been given really highly strict rules that we are not allowed to talk about that game, so you’re not really going to get any information from anyone about that,” said Gronkowski, who missed the tail end of last season with a back injury and did not play in the Super Bowl. “I’m just looking forward to this week. They look good on film. They’re a fast team, a physical team and it’s going to be a tough game coming this Sunday night.”
Sunday night, of course, is the highly anticipated rematch between the Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, who blew a 28-3 lead when these teams last met in February.
While Falcons coach Dan Quinn said reviewing film from Super Bowl LI will be a “big part” of his team’s preparation this week, Patriots coach Bill Belichick clearly is living in the now — and making sure his players do the game.
“We’ve got to move on,” fullback James Develin said. “We’ve got to get ready for a relatively new (Falcons) team, and we have to just prepare for this one as best we can. It’s going to be a fight Sunday night.”
Thumbnail photo via Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports Images
