Rob Gronkowski closed out his second regular season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a high note.
The future Hall of Fame tight end raked in $1 million in the Bucs’ final game before the start of the playoffs. Gronk’s seven-catch, 137-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers made the four-time Super Bowl champion eligible for not one, but two $500,000 bonuses.
As an NFL Films segment revealed, Gronkowski was acutely aware of what was at stake for him financially in that Week 18 game. The five-time Pro Bowl selection on Wednesday was asked by Jimmy Kimmel if he’s seen players in similar situations in the past, which prompted Gronk to take a dig at his former team.
“Yes, I’ve seen it before,” Gronkowski said, as seen on ABC. “Not with the Patriots, though. They’ll probably pull you before you hit that bonus there.”
Gronkowski twisted the knife into New England even more by praising Tampa Bay’s outlook on performance-based incentives.
“With the Bucs, I mean, they’re down for the players to collect all of their money that they possibly can, which is great,” Gronkowski said.
The fact that Gronkowski cashed in on those bonuses last season suggests the 32-year-old still has plenty left in the tank. Still, Gronk is undecided on whether he wants to prolong his NFL career.
