New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski played 14 snaps against the Houston Texans and didn’t record a catch or a target. Still, the fact that he was on the field was notable enough because the All Pro tight end hasn’t played in a preseason game since week 3 of the 2012 preseason.
It’s been a long time.
When asked why Gronkowski played, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had little to offer.
“I played all the players that were healthy,” Belichick shrugged.
But when asked about the benefits of playing in the preseason versus lining up in practice, Belichick offered a little more.