Rob Gronkowski collected a big bonus last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers thanks to his buddy Tom Brady. He revealed: at the New England Patriots, he probably would have been taken off the field.

Munich – Rob Gronkowski had to laugh. He immediately realised: “I shouldn’t have said that,” the NFL superstar explained on US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s show.

The topic was the bonuses that players have in their contracts and that they get paid out when they reach certain numbers. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gronk had earned an extra $500,000 last season for breaking the 55-catch mark.

Quarterback superstar Tom Brady had made a special appearance at the end of the last game of the season against the Carolina Panthers when the score was 41-17. Brady found his buddy for an eight-yard catch – and $500,000.

The year before, Brady threw 11 passes for 138 yards to ex-Bucs receiver Antonio Brown in the final game, and he collected an extra $1 million for it.

Rob Gronkowski: Future still open

No, because what Gronk spilled: things apparently went differently with the New England Patriots before his move to the Buccaneers. “Not with the Patriots. They probably take you down before you hit the bonus,” he said.

Whether former coach Bill Belichick thinks that’s as funny as Gronk is open to question.

Whether Gronkowski will also go bonus hunting in 2022 is still open. The tight end has not yet made a decision regarding his future, as he confirmed in an interview with “TMZ Sports “

“As of right now, I don’t feel ready to be back on the field. I can’t commit to football right now,” the 32-year-old said, adding: “Even in your thirties, you can’t just slack off and only be 50 per cent because then the game will catch you off guard and it will just spit you out. “