Rob Gronkowski On Felger & Mazz: Not Thinking About Long-Term Future 'One Single Bit'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski may be getting ready for the upcoming Fantasy Sports Fest at Gillette Stadium, but he's also getting ready for Patriots training camp. So when Gronk joined Felger & Mazz on Thursday, they weren't going to let him escape without a few football questions.
Guest host Greg Dickerson asked Gronk how he feels as far as the physical demands of the game of football and the increased awareness of long-term health concerns associated with playing it professionally. Gronk is a physical player with a long injury history, but insists he's not close to thinking about the end of his playing days.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not thinking about [my long-term future] one single bit," he said. "I feel like that would come in question more in a year or two ... maybe a couple more years - but right now, I feel great so I feel like I can just keep going until however long.
"Once I feel like something starts slowing me down is when I'll get a basis of how long I want to play for."
Gronk admitted that he didn't want to get himself into trouble with head coach Bill Belichick so close to the start of training camp on July 28, deflecting a question from Tony Massarotti on whether he felt the Patriots let the 2015 season slip through their fingers.
"We're just focused on the 2016 season, baby!" said Gronkowski. You've got to talk to coach Belichick about [last season] ... I'm not going in the doghouse right before camp."
Mazz also asked Gronk what he meant by his cryptic tweet from March about a "pay cut" that stirred a bit of controversy on the airwaves at 98.5. Gronk answered as only Gronk could.
"I meant that I like to beast and I like to play the game of football," he said. "And I beast out no matter what, baby!"
Gronk will appear at the Fantasy Sports Fest presented by DraftKings on August 14 at Gillette Stadium, along with ESPN NFL host Trey Wingo and fantasy football guru Matthew Berry. The event will also let attendees meet 98.5's Zo and Bertrand, participate in on-field drills, study actual game film with a team coach, and host their own fantasy draft in a stadium suite.
Gronk also spoke on his confidence in Jimmy Garoppolo and the entire team as they work together to get ready for the season. Listen to the full interview below: