If you were left stunned when Rob Gronkowski was traded to the Buccaneers, Rex Ryan can relate.
The news of Gronkowski heading to Tampa Bay moved at a rapid pace Tuesday. After an initial rumor indicated the five-time Pro Bowl selection was interested in coming out of retirement, it was reported shortly thereafter that the Patriots worked out a deal to reunite Gronkowski with Tom Brady. By night’s end, Gronk officially was a Buc.
Considering how much Gronkowski had slowed down by the end of his Patriots tenure, Rex Ryan was a bit surprised to see the 30-year-old return to the game. That said, the former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills coach believes Gronk now finds himself in a great situation.
“I actually can’t believe it happened,” Ryan said Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I really can’t, but here we are. It’s a perfect situation. Gronk comes in, he doesn’t have to be an every-down player. His body won’t hold up. We saw that at the end of his time with New England. He can’t play full time. In a two-minute situation, third down, red zone or the game’s on the line — in those situations, this guy can still be very productive.”
It’s safe to say Brady is excited about having one of his all-time favorite targets back at his disposal. The six-time Super Bowl champion made it clear he’s eager to “run it back” with arguably the best tight end to ever play.
