New England Patriots: Rob Gronkowski apologizes to Tre’Davious White
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski issued an apology for his cheap shot on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski could be in some hot water this week with the league office. The Patriots and Gronkowski hammered the Buffalo Bills in their Week 13 matchup, moving one step closer to clinching the AFC East.
New England could clinch the division next week on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins but could be without Gronkowski.
Gronkowski delivered a cheap shot to Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White with about five minutes remaining in the game. White intercepted a Tom Brady pass and was touched down, but Gronkowski launched himself at White, injuring him.
White and Gronkowski were jostling for position on the throw. It was one of the multiple times that the two players matched up against each other. Gronkowski was growing frustrated with how he was being officiated, and it boiled over and resulted in the cheap shot.
White was placed in the league’s concussion protocol as a result of the hit. The play, which was deemed dirty by many, upset many people on the Bills. Micah Hyde, Richie Incognito and head coach Sean McDermott all shared their displeasure with how things went.
Following the game, Gronkowski opened up about the incident. He shared what was furstrating him and caused him to have an outburst like that.
Gronkowski also issued an apology to White.
Gronkowski elaborated on why he was frustrated and allowed his emotions to get the best of him. While the apology will appease some, Hyde is not one of those people. Hyde believes the dirtiness of the play isn’t changed by an apology.
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"“It was a dirty play, apology or not,” Hyde said. “We’ll see him again in a few weeks. You guys will make this a story. I’ve been a part of plenty of games, whatever sport it might be. There’s been dirty plays. Just got to put it past you.”"
Gronkowski is a fan favorite and has a relatively clean past. He has never been labeled a dirty player or owns a history of cheap shots, but Gronkowski could very well be suspended for next week’s game against the Dolphins.
Gronkowski was right to apologize after the game, but it may not save him from a suspension. The NFL has been cracking down on on-field discipline, ramping up the repercussions. He was also not ejected, so he does not have that going for him. Sometimes, the league will levy a heavy fine and not a suspension if a player already missed time because of an ejection; that is not the case here.
Next: Patriots vs Bills Recap and Highlights
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert shared that there have already been 13 ejections this season, which is tied for the most in a season since 2001, and there are still four weeks of games to be played. There have also been three suspensions handed out for on-field infractions this season. It would not be a surprise if that number increases to four sometime this week.