FOXBORO — Rob Gronkowski was a one-man wet T-shirt contest yesterday.
It was just the latest episode of “Gronk’s Gone Wild,” as the tight end dominated each of the Patriots’ defensive stars while celebrating every big play as though he’d never before visited an end zone. He served as a welcomed boost of energy during a practice that took place throughout a torrential rainstorm.
“It’s great to go out there and have some fun,” Gronkowski said. “Obviously, you’ve got to grind, but you want to go out there and have some celebrations, too, when you make some plays.”
To add to the fun, Gronkowski might be spiking a pen in the not-so-distant future. Coach Bill Belichick smiled and said hello to Gronkowski’s agents, brothers Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, as he walked off the field after practice.
Gronkowski and the Pats are currently trying to work on a new contract, according to a source.
It’s unclear when the deal could get done, but with four years remaining on the current contract, there’s time to make it work. He is set to earn $27 million from 2016-19, and a new deal, which would theoretically result in an extension to assuage the cap hits that result from an eight-figure signing bonus, should keep his financial status comparable with the game’s highest-paid tight ends.
Gronkowski signed his six-year extension in 2012 that included the most total dollars ($54 million) for a tight end in NFL history, but the compromise was evident at the time that he’d be playing under team-friendly parameters from 2016-19. That notion was hammered home even harder this offseason with extensions for tight ends Jordan Reed (five-year, $46.75 million deal including $22 million guaranteed and $9 million to sign), Travis Kelce (five-year, $46.8 million extension with $20 million guaranteed and $10.5 million to sign) and Dwayne Allen (four-year, $29.4 million contract), who is also repped by Rosenhaus’ agency.
So this will be viewed as a major sign of goodwill from the Patriots, and the team can afford to play nice with their superstar. They’ve got $103 million committed to the 2017 salary cap, and their projected cap space of $62 million is easily the most in the NFL. There’s no reason to fret over a new deal for Gronkowski when linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, defensive lineman Jabaal Sheard and cornerback Malcolm Butler are also seeking major paydays. The Pats have the means to keep them all.
That’s why it was a good day to be on Gronkowski’s side. He was amped from the start of the swampy workout, getting juiced up in one-on-ones over a could-have-been trucking of safety Duron Harmon before catching a pass on safety Jordan Richards and combining a playful stiff-arm with a Deion Sanders-like high step to the end zone.
That was just a tease compared to the rest of the workout.
“He’s got so much energy,” fullback James Develin said. “Playing with him is always a good time. It’s just fun.”
Gronkowski went full Gronk mode during the first period of 11-on-11s. He jumped and reached in front of safety Patrick Chung to snag a high-arching touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady and celebrated by chucking the ball into the crowd. Two throws later, Gronkowski beat Collins and safety Devin McCourty to the right corner of the end zone for another big catch, which caused him to launch the ball into orbit and run alongside the crowd with his finger pointed to the air.
Shortly thereafter, tight end Martellus Bennett caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in a similar spot and repeated his teammate’s celebration, which caused an excited Gronkowski to fire up the crowd again. And when Garoppolo followed up by connecting with Bryce Williams for another score, the rookie tight end barely had enough time to turn around before Gronkowski sprinted over to leap into his arms.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Williams said of Gronkowski’s energy. “From seeing what he does during the games is unreal. It’s obviously awesome to see in person.”
Gronkowski was angry at himself after dropping a pass in each of his first two practices, but he has otherwise been electric in camp. He’s got a team-high eight connections with Brady in team drills, and he also has five catches on Garoppolo passes.
He has celebrated each one in Gronk-like fashion, too. His unique blend of performance with personality has lifted the Patriots in far more important situations than the fourth practice of training camp, but he brings the same level of goofiness in July as January.
It’s infectious, and it’s partly why the Patriots are open to the rare idea of rewriting his contract four years early.
“A lot of times, he’s that spark,” tight end Bear Pascoe said. “He’s a heck of an athlete. That’s for darn sure. It’s fun to watch him on the field. It’s a pleasure.”
