Rob Gronkowski earned his bonus money last season in Tampa Bay.
The future Hall of Famer obtained $1 million in extra cash in the Buccaneers’ final game of the regular-season, catching seven passes for 137 yards. The strong performance made Gronkowski eligible for two $500,000 bonuses.
On “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Wednesday, the late-night host asked Gronk about his awareness level when it comes to contractual incentives, playing a clip from NFL Films that shows Gronkowski telling Tom Brady he needs one more catch to reach his target.
On the next drive, Brady made sure Gronkowski got his.
“Good pass, dog,” Gronk said to Brady.
“Thanks, baby. I had to get ya,” Brady replied.
Gronkowski told Kimmel many players around the league are aware of their incentives, and lobby their teammates to help them out. That is, except in New England.
“Yes, I’ve seen it before,” Gronk said. “Not with the Patriots, though. They’ll probably pull you before you hit that bonus there.”
Immediately, Gronkowski admitted he “shouldn’t have said that,” but it was too late. Later, he lauded the Bucs’ commitment to helping their players get paid, taking another apparent swipe at the Patriots.
“With the Bucs, I mean, they’re down for the players to collect all of their money that they possibly can, which is great,” he said.
Gronkowski has never been afraid of needling the Patriots, perhaps most notably holding a bizarre motorcross press conference in the bowels of Gillette Stadium while his playing future was uncertain.
That remains the case today, with Gronk telling Kimmel he’s still undecided about whether he’ll play in 2023. But Gronkowski wasn’t surprised when Brady announced he’s coming back, and expects his favorite quarterback to put on the pads for years to come.
“I believe he’ll have it until he’s at least 50 years old. I see his work ethic day in and day out, and it’s second to none,” Gronk said.