New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who announced his retirement on Sunday, will not just be remembered because of his tremendous abilities and production on the football field but also for his upbeat persona off it. During Tuesday’s NFL coaches breakfast, three former Patriots — the Houston Texans’ Bill O’Brien, the Miami Dolphins’ Brian Flores, and the Detroit Lions’ Matt Patricia — all spoke glowingly about the future Hall of Famer.
“You could tell right away this guy was going to be something special,” said former New England offensive coordinator O’Brien when asked about Gronkowski.