New England Patriots: Belichick the Reason Gronk Wants Out

Rob Gronkowski has continued to mull over whether he wants to end his New England Patriots career and retire from the game of football.

Patriots fans, of course, are begging him not to do that. He’s easily the most important weapon in the New England offense. Tom Brady is just a different quarterback when Gronk isn’t on the field. At the same time, it’s not hard to see the logic in his decision. He has two rings already and made his millions of dollars. He’s got loads of career prospects waiting for him after football and wouldn’t have to endure the long list of injuries he already has up to this point.

Thankfully it appears he’s not ready just yet to hang up the cleats. Likely the bad taste of that Super Bowl defeat against Philadelphia is lingering and he wants a chance at redemption. Jeff Darlington of ESPN has it on good authority that the star tight end plans to return for the 2018 season. That said his feelings haven’t changed. His tolerance for the Patriots is wearing thin, and one man above all is the reason for this.

Gronkowski is tired of the Bill Belichick ways

Bill Belichick is going to go down in history as the greatest coach in NFL history. His five Super Bowl victories cement that. That doesn’t mean he’s perfect in the eyes of his players. In fact, there are many who dislike or even hate the man. This is because of the constant atmosphere of tension and discomfort Belichick fosters. This is on purpose. He wants the players on edge, always fearing him and fearing for their jobs in order to ensure they play their best. It’s not an easy thing to live with, and it’s something Gronkowski is tired of.

"“However, this dose of good news for Patriots fans comes with some dilution: Lingering frustrations remain between Gronkowski and head coach Bill Belichick, along with others in the Patriots organization, according to sources close to each side. Whether those frustrations on either side will impact Gronkowski’s return to the team remains the final piece to this unfinished puzzle.For Gronkowski, the physical anguish of the 2017 season, which led him late in the regular season to tell people that he was likely to retire, was paired with some mental fatigue from the high-strung culture within the Patriots organization, sources said. Nothing has occurred since the end of the season to convince him that is going to change — and Gronkowski knows he’ll need to be ready for a similar toll on his mind and body if he returns in 2018.”"

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: One Quarterback Takes The Plunge

Reports of Belichick finally wearing out his welcome in New England have been happening for months. Gronk isn’t the only one losing his thick skin for the coaches’ methods. Even Tom Brady has finally begun to lose his patience for that style. Not to mention owner Robert Kraft. It feels even the mighty methods of Belichick have their limits. How much longer they have their effect is up for debate. Gronkowski is willing to give it another year at least. That’s something.