New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was on the verge of trading Rob Gronkowski before Tom Brady stepped in and threatened retirement, according to NFL reporter Adam Kurkjian.
Gronkowski admitted he was pondering retirement after the team's Super Bowl 52 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Gronk posted cryptic messages on social media, and reports came out that he was tired of 'The Patriot Way' and even thought about retiring before the 2017 season.
The strained relationship between Belichick and multiple players - including Brady and Gronkowski - has been well-documented. ESPN's Seth Wickersham published a shocking report in January that there was rift between Belichick and Brady, along with owner Robert Kraft.
Rumors of Gronkowski being traded had since swirled, but it looks like Brady and Kraft stepped in to ensure a deal wasn't done. But the main take here is just how much the drama and tension continues to escalate in Foxborough.
It's never been a secret that Belichick is an extremely strict head coach, one who enforces strong discipline with his players. But that has worked effectively, as Belichick has coached the team to five Super Bowl championships and a total of eight appearances in the big game.
But this latest report suggests that Belichick and Gronkowski are no longer seeing eye-to-eye, and it could play a huge factor in the 2018 season. Belichick has never wasted time trading or cutting loose key players if he thinks it's best for business - including Jamie Collins, Chandler Jones, Ty Law, Malcolm Butler or others. But in this case, Brady and Kraft wouldn't let the best tight end in football move out of Foxborough.
Brady turns 41 years of age in August. Some Patriots players appear to be revolting against Belichick, who seems to be getting frustrated with certain guys in the organization. It'll be interesting to see if this impacts the Patriots in 2018, and if the drama will lead an end to the greatest sports dynasty of the 21st century.