There is arguably no better tight end in NFL history than New England Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski. So, it raised some eyebrows when the Patriots issued his number 87 to Romeo Doubs.
Among those who were surprised to hear about the number being issued was Gronkowski himself. He recently revealed on Up & Adams that the team did not actually consult with him before handing out his number.
“I’m not the one who makes the decisions over there… I wasn’t consulted at all,” Rob Gronkowski said. “But, I mean, I’m cool with it.”
Gronkowski played for nine seasons with the Patriots. In that time, he had 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. That’s 15.1 yards per reception while also being an elite blocker. Along the way, he would become an All-Pro selection four times and helped New England to win three Super Bowls.
A member of the Patriots Hall of Fame, Gronkowski made the Patriots All-2010s Team and All-Dynasty Team. However, his number has not been retired by the team.
“The only number that I truly believe should be retired in New England, which I think it’s retired but it’s not like hung in the rafters yet or anything, is the No. 12… If you’re not playing for 20 years, I don’t think that any other number should be retired,” Gronkowski said.
How the New England Patriots Handle Retired Numbers
The New England Patriots currently have eight retired numbers. The most notable of those, of course, is Tom Brady’s No. 12.
Along with Brady, the Patriots have retired No. 20 (Gino Cappelletti), No. 40 (Mike Haynes), No. 57 (Steve Nelson), No. 73 (John Hannah), No. 78 (Bruce Armstrong), No. 79 (Jim Lee Hunt), and No. 89 (Bob Dee). Notably, Brady is the only Patriots player from the time they won a Super Bowl onward to have his number retired. They also don’t hand out Andre Tippett’s No. 56, but it isn’t officially retired.
It’s a bit strange, all things considered, that only one Super Bowl champion has had his number retired. There are also several players who have had excellent careers in New England and are Pro Football Hall of Famers who are being overlooked. This is something that has drawn the ire of Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald.
“Haynes, Tippett and Hannah are Pro Football Hall of Famers. Brady will be. It’s safe at this point to say the other five will not be. The Patriots stopped retiring numbers for 24 years, from 2000 until 2024, when 12 was retired. Adam Vinatieri, Ty Law and Richard Seymour have been inducted into the HOF, and 4, 24 and 93 are not retired. Rob Gronkowski will be inducted into the HOF, and 87 is not retired,” Kyed wrote.
“The system, as it stands now, unfortunately doesn’t make any sense. I understand that it would be disrespectful to unretire numbers, but it’s also weird not to retire the numbers of players who are more deserving than the current list.”
It Was a Rough Start for Romeo Doubs With the Patriots
Some of the criticism that Romeo Doubs is getting for wearing No. 87 comes down to the simple fact that he had a bad debut for the Patriots. Against the Seattle Seahawks, he was targeted on one Drake Maye interception, and then had a bad drop immediately preceding another interception. In the end, he didn’t record a catch on three targets.
Now, with A.J. Brown out, the lights are going to be pointed at Doubs. Gronkowski himself knows that, and called out Doubs as the receiver who needs to step up for the Patriots during his Up & Adams appearance.
“It’s gonna have to be Romeo Doubs,” Gronkowski said. “You can’t just go out there and pay somebody that much money and then not have any production from him. He’s gonna have to pick it up.”
Doubs and the Patriots return home for Week 2. There, the Pittsburgh Steelers will bring another strong defense. So, this won’t be an easy task.
Rob Gronkowski Shares Revelation on Romeo Doubs Wearing No. 87 for Patriots