We’re a week into Organized Team Activities and the two biggest stars for the New England Patriots are nowhere near a football field. Yes, both Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have decided that the “voluntary” designation in this year’s OTAs actually meant neither of them had to show up.
So where is the future Hall of Fame QB anyway? Monaco. Tossing footballs to race driver Daniel Ricciardo off the bow of a yacht. What else would he be doing?
Touchdown! 🙌 Tom Brady finds Daniel in the deep! 🏈⚓️@TAGHeuer pic.twitter.com/xtGusCPsPI
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) May 27, 2018
This was, of course, after a quick stopover in Qatar. You know. Just doin’ football stuffs.
Today we welcome our very special guest, the @nfl superstar, #TomBrady to our homeland #Doha#BradyInQatar pic.twitter.com/llyHQql5Jg
— Salam Al Shawa (@salam_shawa) April 12, 2018
As for Gronkowski, he’s reportedly working out at Brady’s TB12 facility with Brady’s buddy, trainer and professional charlatan Alex Guerrero. Guerrero, if you’ll recall, is banned from all Patriots facilities.
It’s safe to say there’s a nice, little visible rift forming between the team and its two biggest names. In spite of all the denials that surfaced after ESPN blew the lid off it back in January.
TOM BRADY
Regardless of his jetting around the middle east and tossing footballs from million dollar boats, Brady is definitely going to be the quarterback of the Patriots when the season begins. Let’s not get crazy.
But it’s obvious that the tensions that surfaced last year, especially between Bill Belichick and Guerrero, have become a bigger problem. Brady’s post-playing career brand is all tied up in TB12 and Guerrero’s particular brand of snake oil. Brady’s not ever going to be hurting for money, but he’s trying for full guru status and he’s more likely to eat a kumquat than listen to his head coach over Guerrero.
Tom Brady on June 12, 2013 pic.twitter.com/9pJBrnEevE
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) May 21, 2018
Rocketing all over the globe while his teammates put in work is a message. Because, don’t believe for a minute Brady would be trading the yacht for a practice field if Jimmy Garoppolo was still on the team. Garoppolo was a danger to take Brady’s job, because of his youth and potential. Every minute Garoppolo got to work with the ones was another chance for Belichick to think about the future of the organization and, maybe, put Brady on the block.
And nothing would be worse for the TB12 brand than getting traded away for a younger guy.
This is a power move and thanks to New England making no real effort to upgrade their back up quarterback situation in the draft, it’s one Brady is winning definitively. The NFL has rightly feared the patented Brady “EFF YOU” season. But what if he spends a year saying EFF YOU to his own team?
ROB GRONKOWSKI
For Gronk, at least, there’s some financial considerations keeping him away from the team facility. He wants an updated contract and the Patriots seem to be willing to give him one. In spite of his history of injuries, Gronkowski is the best tight end in football. Hell, he’s probably the best in the history of the sport. He is, unquestionably, the biggest match-up problem any defense will ever face.
Report: Rob Gronkowski close to getting reworked deal https://t.co/FP9yiGzkRk
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 24, 2018
Last year he played in 14 games and caught 69 (as he would say, “nice.”) passes for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns. It was his fourth 1,000-yard season. While you can’t see Gronkowski dodge defenders this spring, you can see him dodge a shark. Because, again, what else would he be doing?
Just like Brady, if Gronk is healthy and on the field this season, he’ll play. There’s no danger of him losing his job unless another team comes at New England with a trade package they can’t refuse. But, make no mistake, Gronkowski choosing to work out at TB12 with Guerrero over Belichick is a problem. He’s picking Brady’s side in the whole internal feud.
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for him.
