Detroit, Gronk City? Patriots Legend’s ‘Mayhem’ Trade

Conflict with Bill Belichick nearly sent Rob Gronkowski to the Detroit Lions but a mutual understanding led to the legendary tight end extending his stay with the New England Patriots.

Rob Gronkowski made it clear: if he was traded to Detroit, this Lion would sleep tonight.

Appearing on "The Season with Peter Schrager," the legendary New England Patriots tight end spoke about an eventually futile trade to the Detroit Lions during the 2018 offseason. Patriots fans are aware that Gronkowski was potentially bound for the Motor City but the playmaker has often declined to speak about it. He made an exception for Schrager, the NFL Network analyst, on his podcast, saying that the Detroit gossip was the product of "some disconnect" between himself and the organization.

Rob Gronkowski was almost traded to the Detroit Lions.

He wasn’t having it.

He tells the incredible story — with some bleeps— here, on this week’s episode of “The Season with Peter Schrager”.

⁦@nflnetwork⁩ ⁦@NFLMedia⁩ ⁦@gmfb⁩ ⁦@RobGronkowski⁩ pic.twitter.com/Z1DcqPuZhv

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) July 26, 2023

Gronkowski's recollection was one of remorse, as he expressed regret for the way he handled the situation. 

"It was kind of like mayhem a little bit," Gronkowski said. "Maybe I handled myself a little wrong. Maybe if I could go back, I would've done it differently."

One could easily see the stress of going from a championship program like the Patriots to the historically downtrodden Lions, but Gronkowski's reluctance to move was hardly anything personal. He told Schrager that, no matter where he was going, he was going to retire without the Flying Elvis on his helmet.

He engaged head coach Bill Belichick in a verbal war of words to make his point.

"I was kind of being an (expletive) a little bit," Gronkowski admitted. "Then Bill was like 'all right, let's get this (expletive) out of here.' Then I was like 'oh, the (expletive) ain't playing no more, though.' So I was amping it up even more, at the moment.

“I was like 'How can you trade me? I'm retired.'" 

Though public perception was uncharitable to Gronkowski, many believing he simply had no interest in playing for Detroit, he insisted it was simply a case of, as Schrager put it for him, "Patriots or nothing." 

"I was like Patriots or nothing," Gronkowski said. "I go 'we got to win one more Super Bowl."

One more ring eventually landed on Gronkowski's finger: New England went 11-5 in the regular season and eventually clinched its sixth Super Bowl title with a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Gronkowski picked up 87 yards on six receptions in what became his final game with the Patriots. 

The tight end eventually followed through on his retirement in 2019 and eventually dropped his Patriots preference: Gronkowski extended his career by two seasons to play with fellow Foxborough alum Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, gaining another Super Bowl win in 2020. 

Much to the delight of the Patriots faithful, Gronkowski was all business for one more year.

"Business is business, football is football," the tight end declared. "(I) still showed up, did my thing and we won the Super Bowl that year. I knew it was one of the best decisions. I was so glad I vetoed that trade." 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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