Few would argue that things started to go downhill for the New England Patriots once franchise legend Tom Brady departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
Once Brady left, the Patriots went 33-51 up until this season with former head coach Bill Belichick compiling a 29-38 record and Jerod Mayo going 4-13 in his lone season with the team last year.
Mayo was one-and-done as Patriots owner Robert Kraft moved quickly to replace him with another franchise legend, Mike Vrabel, who had taken a year off from coaching after parting ways with the Tennessee Titans.
That decision to hand Vrabel the keys to the team proved to be the right move, as Vrabel led the Patriots to a 14-3 regular-season record and a 3-0 playoff record with a date booked in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.
Rob Gronkowski Gushes Over Patriots’ SB Return
GettyFormer New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
Many were celebrating the Pats’ 10-7 win over the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
Among them was Patriots great Rob Gronkowski. The tight end-turned-analyst rejoiced in New England playing for its seventh Super Bowl championship during the “NFL on Fox” postgame, praising his former team and claiming Vrabel had just executed one of the biggest worst-to-first stories ever.
“That was one of the best turnarounds in sports from where the Patriots were last year then going out and getting Mike Vrabel as their head coach and having this turnaround and going to the Super Bowl,” Gronkowski said. “Pats Nation: we’re going back to the Super Bowl, baby. That’s what I’m talking about.”
Gronkowski went a step further, praising Kraft for the Patriots finding their winning ways again, thanks to the 84-year-old executive’s bold decision to cut ties with Mayo after just one year and go all-in on hiring Vrabel — a proven winner with deep ties to the franchise.
“I can say this: that gold jacket is 100% waiting for [Robert Kraft] to go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — there is no doubt about that,” Gronkowski added. “One of the best owners in all of sports. I mean, he’s going back to the Super Bowl.”
Gronkowski’s Hall of Fame Resume With Patriots
GettyFormer New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski
Though he finished his career with Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, most will remember Gronkowski for his time in New England.
In two years with the Bucs, Gronkowski logged 100 catches, 1,425 yards, and 13 touchdowns while winning another Super Bowl, but those numbers don’t hold a candle to his production with the Patriots.
After being drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft, Gronkowski quickly established himself as one of the top tight ends of all-time.
The four-time Super Bowl champion totaled 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns across 115 games.
Gronkowski was also a four-time first-team All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler, and he won Comebacker Player of the Year in 2014, led the NFL in touchdowns in 2011, was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Rob Gronkowski Has Strong Reaction to Patriots Playing for Another Super Bowl