Pending he doesn’t opt for an NFL comeback, Rob Gronkowski won’t be part of the New England Patriots’ 2019 plans.
Gronkowski on Sunday announced his retirement from football, which only heightened the uncertainty surrounding the Patriots ahead of the next campaign. We’re still awfully early into the new league year, but New England’s roster as it stands leaves quite a bit to be desired.
As such, many likely will project the Patriots’ Super Bowl appearance streak to halt at three. Stephen A. Smith currently is of that mindset, and he identified his favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIV during Monday’s edition of “First Take” on ESPN.
The Colts aren’t a terrible choice by any means. Indianapolis exceeded expectations last season in Andrew Luck’s return under center and already have made some noteworthy moves this offseason. The Colts will have their work cut out for them, though, as the AFC is poised to be even stronger in 2019 than it was last season with recharged teams such as the Cleveland Browns.
Then again, we could just be wasting our time with this discussion. The Patriots weren’t viewed as legitimate Super Bowl LIII contenders for a good chunk of last season, and look how that ended up.
