Rob Gronkowski’s Dirty Hit Overshadows Day Of Stellar Play

Rob Gronkowski lost his cool late in the New England Patriots’ game against the Bills on Sunday in Buffalo, a lapse of control for which he was repentent afterward. To a degree.

He opened his remarks with reporters by apologizing for a late hit on Tre’Davious White, who had stepped in to intercept a Tom Brady pass late in the Patriots’ victory. White was out of bounds, the play was dead and yet Gronk bodysurfed him, a move for which he was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Danny Amendola was flagged for the same thing, as was Buffalo’s Micah Hyde. The Bills Jerry Hughes was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, so, somehow, the Bills were the ones losing yards on the play.

“First off I definitely want to apologize to No. 27,” he said of White, who went off with a head injury. “I’m not in the business of that. It was just a lot of frustration. I was just really frustrated at that moment. … Just want to apologize to Tre’Davious White. I don’t really believe in types of shots like that.”

Gronkowski was angered by what he felt was a hold at the top of the route on which the interception occurred. “The throw, I felt like he kind of pushed me a little bit, and I just don’t understand why there wasn’t a flag,” he said. “Couple times in the game. And they’re calling me for the craziest stuff ever.”

Gronkowski finished with nine receptions for 147 yards in the Patriots’ 23-3 victory, but expressed dismay for penalties that were called against him, calling them “crazy” and lamenting that defensive players aren’t flagged when they hold him.

“It’s, like, crazy. I mean … like, what am I supposed to do? And then they don’t call that? It was just frustration. That’s what happened.”

Asked if he was growing frustrated over the last couple of games, he replied: “Over the past couple of seven years.”

Despite the apology, Gronk may still have to face the wrath of his coach, Bill Belichick. Belichick was not a fan of the hit, apologizing to Bills coach Sean McDermott on the field after the game and calling it “bulls—.”