Damien Woody woke up Monday morning with an ax to grind with Rob Gronkowski.
Woody, a former New England Patriot, wasn’t impressed with the All-Pro tight end in the Patriots’ 17-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. And it’s not hard to see why, as Gronkowski finished with just two catches for 21 yards, the latest dud in what’s been an underwhelming season (and, perhaps, swan song) for the 29-year-old.
Woody also believes Bill Belichick was right in looking to trade Gronkowski in the offseason. And, well that take didn’t go over well with NFL Network’s Mike Giardi.
Check out this exchange:
Flawed take when you consider how Gronk performed down the stretch last year. https://t.co/44pRblS1k9
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) December 17, 2018
He almost got rid of him bc – among other things – the player didn't respond to repeated attempts to reach him this offseason.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) December 17, 2018
Make of that what you will.
Woody also went on “First Take” and basically said that Gronkowski is all done.
I don't even recognize Gronk right now. pic.twitter.com/ULkHgI1OJB
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) December 17, 2018
Ultimately, Gronkowski’s poor play this season probably shouldn’t be held against him. He’s been a dominant force for nearly a decade, and has taken a brutal beating over the course of his career. His fall from grace was destined to be abrupt.
Still, to think New England reportedly could’ve dealt Gronkowski for as many as two first-round draft picks during the offseason must be a tough pill to swallow for Patriots fans.