Gronk On Controversial 'Pay Cut' Tweet: 'I Was Just Messing Around'
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- As Rob Gronkowski returned to the practice field for the Patriots at minicamp, the entire New England region breathed a sigh of relief. Not only was No. 87 not being held back by injuries, he was not staging a holdout over his contract, either.
Back in March, Gronk tweeted in response to the Patriots picking up the option on his contract: "If ya think about it that Option pick up basically equals pay cut the next 4 seasons ... I don't work hard for those reasons. Haha" accompanied by an emoji of a quizzical face.
The tweet caused something of a stir, as media and fans speculated whether he was upset about his contract. Gronk is set to earn $6,618,750 in 2016, including a $2.25 million base salary and roster, option, and workout bonuses, according to Spotrac.
Gronk spoke with Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal before an event at the Rhode Island Convention Center where he held a Q&A with local high school athletes. When asked about the controversial tweet, Gronk simply said, "I was just messing around." He added, however, that he prefers not to give a definitive answer on what he really meant: "I'll leave it up in the air. ... I like it like that. I like the guessing."
Gronk just loves messing with everyone, apparently. As long as he's healthy and getting in the end zone 10+ times, the man can tweet whatever he wants.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
