Rob Gronkowski dubs ex-Chiefs safety ‘Patriot killer,’ blames retired NFL star for ruining Super Bowl experience: “He was a dirty player”
Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski played 11 seasons in the NFL, so it's safe to say he has plenty of stories about his playing days. On former teammate Julian Edelman's podcast, "Games with Names," he revealed a past experience with Bernard Pollard.
Rob Gronkowski referred to Pollard as the "Patriot killer," because of the injuries that were suffered by New England players while they were facing him.
He spoke about one instance where he injured his ankle, which led to him being injured during Super Bowl 46 against the New York Giants — one of the Super Bowls that the New England Patriots lost during their dynasty run.
“He hip-drop tackled me, Bernard Pollard, who’s kinda like the Patriot killer. He took out Tom’s knee. I think he messed up Welker as well," Gronkowski said.
"He was a dirty player, I feel like. I landed on my ankle when I fell down and my ankle snapped. It was disappointing, but me being me, went in the locker room, ‘Shoot me up! I don’t care, I’m going back out there!’ I feel like it changed the trajectory of the game. It made my Super Bowl experience miserable as well. It was in Indianapolis."
Bernard Pollard played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans during his nine-year NFL career.
Rob Gronkowski compared Patriots HC Jerod Mayo to Tom Brady
On the "Games with Names" podcast, Rob Gronkowski also spoke about recently hired New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo. Gronkowski and Mayo were teammates on the Patriots for five seasons from 2010 until 2015.
Gronkowski discussed the impact Mayo had on the defense:
"Jerod Mayo was just a phenomenon on the football field with lining everyone up, and also in the meeting rooms as well. He knew where every player needed to be during any situation that occurred on the defensive side of the ball."
Gronkowski also highlighted Jerod Mayo's awareness reading offenses and described him as the defensive version of Tom Brady.
"He was just always alert, and you could always tell that was going to translate into the next phase of his life. Jerod Mayo was the Tom Brady on the defensive side of the ball." (TS - 1:04)
Jerod Mayo's tenure as head coach of the New England Patriots will usher in a new era in Foxboro after Bill Belichick's run of over two decades.