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Things were not good between the New England Patriots and Rob Gronkowski during the off-season, but not many people knew exactly how deep the rift had become. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Patriots and Lions were close to a gigantic trade that would have sent Gronkowski to Detroit, but he failed when Gronk threatened to retire if he was traded.
"When Gronkowski discovered he could be traded to Detroit that week, he threatened to retire rather than go to Lions," sources said. Gronkowski even refused to dismiss Lions calls, despite former Patriots director Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia running the Detroit organization.
The announced agreement, which was to take place during the NFL draft week, is not a huge surprise if you pay attention to the saga of the public retreat that hit the Patriots and Gronkowski before the 2018 season. Sources close to Gronk thought the tight 28-year-old weekend would retire after the 2017 season, which cost him heavier than expected, but in April he announced his return to the Patriots. Behind the scenes, it was reported that Gronk would only stay with the team when Tom Brady stayed as a quarterback. It was rumored that Brady was planning to retire before deciding to return for the 2018 season.
Some believe that the Patriots' high-pressure mantra does not fit Gronkowski's more relaxed and carefree approach, which led Gronk to make a subtle point by posting "Be FREE, Be HAPPY" on Instagram when Danny Amendola signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
The fact that Gronkowski was almost traded is not a huge shock. The possibility that he was sent to Detroit was a known quantity after the draw, however, the delays that he was willing to take to avoid this scenario – including the possibility of retiring – did not happen. Were not. Schefter clarified that the question was not that of Detroit, but that Gronk could not see himself playing for another team. Even the confidence of the old patriots was not enough to force him to change teams – which means that the saga of eventual retirement will persist in New England with respect to Gronk.
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