- Rob Gronkowski recently announced he would return to the New England Patriots this year, ending rumors of his retirement.
- In a video, Gronkowski said he was feeling "super, super pliable" and called it a "game-changer," a comment that could be seen as a shot at coach Bill Belichick.
- "Pliability" is at the core of Tom Brady's TB12 training method and work with Alex Guerrero, Brady's trainer who is said to be a source of tension between Belichick and the rest of the team.
Rob Gronkowski recently announced he would return to the New England Patriots this year.
Gronkowski, whose future had been up in the air as rumors swirled about his retirement, recorded a video with the sports news outlet Uninterrupted to announce his decision — and it included an eyebrow-raising quip.
"I feel great. I've been working out hard," Gronkowski said. "And I feel super, super pliable, and it's huge. It's a game-changer."
"Pliability" is at the core of Tom Brady's TB12 training method and his work with his trainer Alex Guerrero.
While that alone is nothing controversial, Brady's work with Guerrero is said to be a contentious presence with the Patriots.
He was reportedly at the center of tension on team last season, and coach Bill Belichick eventually revoked some of his access to the team, saying players felt unsure about whether to work with Brady and Guerrero or Patriots staff.
Additionally, Belichick at one point chastised Gronkowski in front of the team for working with Guerrero, the Boston Herald reported.
The Herald reported last summer that Gronkowski had taken up the TB12 training method and said it made him feel great.
It's fair to wonder whether Gronkowski's quip in the video was a small jab at Belichick. ESPN's Mike Reiss reported that a meeting this week "reopened lines of communication that had been cut off to this point" between the tight end and the head coach.
