Rob Gronkowski has never been shy about saying what he thinks, and his latest comments about the Patriots’ 2025 season are bound to get people talking.
In an interview with Outkick, the former New England star weighed in on the team’s uneven start and said he still views them as a playoff-caliber group. But he also pointed to the schedule as a real part of the story.
“Their schedule definitely was pretty, pretty simple last year. They’re playing tougher opponents this year, tougher defenses.
I think that has more to play with it,” Gronkowski said. “I definitely think the schedule plays a part in it for sure.
It really does.”
That’s the kind of line that can land sideways with Patriots fans, especially after a season that drew the same tired refrain from outside: that New England had an easy path, wasn’t legitimate, and was somehow a fluke even after reaching the final game of the season.
The reality, though, is more complicated than that. Yes, the schedule matters.
It always does. But the Patriots still had to handle what was in front of them, and they did more than enough to show they weren’t just coasting through soft matchups.
They beat the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. They went on the road and took down Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. They also handled a Las Vegas Raiders team that was 3-1 at the time.
And it wasn’t just those headline wins. New England also picked up two divisional victories, the kind that are never simple no matter who’s on the other sideline.
At the same time, the Patriots have also taken their share of hits. They lost to the defending Super Bowl champions on the road and fell to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field while undermanned and on a short week.
So while Gronkowski’s point about the schedule isn’t some outrageous take, it also doesn’t erase everything else the Patriots have had to navigate. Mike Vrabel and his team can only work with what’s on the slate. They don’t get to choose the opponents, and they still have to prepare the same way whether they’re facing a Super Bowl contender or a team already thinking about draft position.
Gronkowski gave the team some credit. Now the Patriots have another reason to keep pushing, especially with injuries piling up and the usual noise following them around.
In New England, that kind of outside chatter never really disappears. The only way to shut it down is to keep winning.
In Other News...
Bills Add Familiar AFC East Help Ahead Of Tough Week 9
The Bills added some familiar AFC East experience to their secondary this week, signing cornerback Kader Kohou to the practice squad ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Vikings. Kohou arrives with a background that should make the transition easier, having spent three seasons with Miami and also time with Kansas City before his recent release.
For Buffalo, the move is about adding another layer of depth at a position that can get stressed quickly over the course of a season. The Bills are trying to keep momentum rolling with a fourth straight win in sight, and bringing in a player who knows the division gives them a little more insurance as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Offense Gets Its Biggest Test Yet Against Minnesota
Monday night brings a rare kind of measuring stick for Buffalo, one that strips away the weekly noise and puts the Bills offense in a direct collision with the leagues most efficient defense by the numbers. It is the sort of matchup that tends to tell you a lot about where a contender really stands, especially when the conversation centers on EPA per play and the gap between an attack that can score in bunches and a unit built to smother it.
The historical backdrop is part of what makes this one worth watching, because these elite-versus-elite showdowns have not come around often and they have not always gone the same way. The offense has had a slight edge over time, but the results have been close enough to suggest there is no easy script here, which only adds to the intrigue for a Bills team trying to prove its ceiling against Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Face A Keon Coleman Decision That Could Split Fans
Keon Coleman has given the Bills a useful early return, with three touchdowns and 287 yards on 20 catches, and his presence has been part of Buffalos effort to keep the offense moving while the roster gets sorted out for the stretch run. Even so, the Bills are still weighing where they need help most as they try to build a team good enough for a real Super Bowl push.
That is where the conversation gets interesting, because ESPNs Dan Graziano floated the idea that Coleman could become part of a deal to bring in defensive help. No trade has been reported, but the mere possibility is enough to spark debate in Buffalo, where fans are already trying to figure out whether a productive young receiver is a core piece or a movable asset. [Read more 🡒]