Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski actually talked about low blows yesterday, and he did it without using the eggplant emoji or anything.
Gronkowski, who earlier this week addressed the Broncos history of hitting him low with a light-hearted and kind of vulgar (also funny) tweet about it, took to the podium this time to address it at a press conference.
Considering he’s twice been injured against the Broncos, the questions are natural, and he took the high road Thursday.
“It’s a part of the game, I’ve been seeing it all year and I’ve been seeing it my whole career,” Gronkowski said, via the Boston Herald. “I’ve just got to get low, get my shoulder down and protect the ball and protect myself in any way.
“When I see a lot of guys coming and when I know there’s not a chance to make that many yards possibly just go down on that play. If you can make a play and get more yards but at the same time watch out and get your pads down. It is football and you have to be ready for contact at all times.”
Broncos cornerback Chris Harris got the ball rolling when he said: “You got to hit him low, man.”
Considering Broncos safety T.J. Ward was responsible for the hit that led to a 2013 torn ACL (while Ward was with the Browns), and Broncos safety Darian Stewart gave him a questionable shot to the knee in November, it’s a sensitive topic.
So naturally, Gronk made a junior-high joke out of it on Twitter in response.
But he said he’s not worried about the natural result of playing football as physically as he does.
“They are not doing anything illegal out there, it’s just part of the game,” Gronkowski said. “You have to be aware of it and maybe I have to step up my game a bit and maybe throw a juke.
“I don’t know how many jukes I’ve got, but I have to be aware for it.”
Or, at least as many jukes as he has left in knees that have been targeted throughout his career.