Gronk in Tompa

Casey Dobson

Assistant Editor-in-Chief

The sports world was dead. And then Rob Gronkowski had to come out and express his desire to return to football…with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay (soon to be known as Tompa Bay if Brady’s copyrights go through).

If you ask any Patriots fan, they will tell you that they wish the sports world had stayed dead if this was the alternative. Over his 10 year span with the Pats, Gronk endeared himself to fans with his larger than life personality and otherworldly skill level. So when the Patriots announced they had agreed to trade the tight end along with a late round pick to the Florida franchise in exchange for a fourth rounder, New England’s collective heart broke.

In the grand scheme of the overall NFL landscape, this move is interesting to say the least. Saying that Brady and Gronkowski were a sure-fire duo would be an understatement. Brady’s accuracy combined with the sheer physical specimen that is Rob Gronkowski created an offensive force that would rarely be stopped. So the prospect of this duo being bolstered by the hands of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin is enough to put defensive coordinators on edge. Granted, Brady has shown that he is not, at least consistently, at the level he has been in the past and Gronkowski retired due to an excessive amount of injuries so the longevity of the lineup is up in the air. But if the two former Patriots can stay healthy, the Bucs offence could be one to fear.