Rob Gronkowski Drops Bold Take on Aaron Rodgers After Steelers’ Ugly Loss to Patriots

Rob Gronkowski didn’t mince words about Aaron Rodgers‘ rough start to the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, weighing in after the team’s loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, September 20.

“Aaron Rodgers is probably thinking that he should have retired last year,” Gronkowski, 37, told his former Patriots teammate Julian Edelman on The Gronk & Jules Show on September 21. “After watching the first two weeks, I’m saying that’s what he was probably thinking. He may be thinking that if it continues the way it continues for the Steelers. I mean, there’s just no juice on that offensive side of the ball.”

Pittsburgh fell to New England 20-3 in Week 2, with the 42-year-old Rodgers managing just 187 passing yards and no touchdowns. That scoreless outing stood out to the retired tight end, who highlighted the long working relationship between Rodgers and Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy dating back to their Green Bay Packers days. According to Gronkowski, over more than 150 games together in Green Bay, Rodgers was held without a passing touchdown only twice, and that tally doesn’t even include Sunday’s game.

Gronkowski also noted the numbers so far this year: one touchdown pass in Week 1, and none in Week 2.

Rodgers had publicly wrestled with the idea of hanging up his cleats after last season. He acknowledged putting in two decades in the league and called it a long journey, in comments made last December to ESPN. He ultimately decided to keep going, announcing in May, that he’d play one more season and finish his career with the Steelers.