Patriots Legend Rob Gronkowski Has Thoughts and Chiefs Fans Won’t Like It
The Kansa City Chiefs get an early chance to avenge their Super Bowl loss when they face the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon, in a game that will be nationally televised by the Fox Network. The NFL apparently believes that the interest in the Chiefs-Eagles game will be so high that the league has scheduled no other games in the Sunday afternoon 4:25 p.m. Eastern time slot.
The league probably is not wrong. The showdown comes with a number of storylines beyond the obvious one, that it will be a rematch of Super Bowl 59 just seven months after the Eagles rolled past the Chiefs — who were going for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat.
Chiefs Were a Mess in Week 1 Defeat
Instead, the Eagles rolled over a surprisingly lackluster Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs in a one-sided, 40-22 affair, and the NFL retained its status as the only major North American pro sports league never to see a team win three championships in a row, at least not in the Super Bowl era which began in 1966.
Can the Chiefs get their act together? That’s another major storyline heading into the game. On September 5, in the NFL’s second annual “Brazil Game,” the Los Angeles Chargers danced past a disorganized-seeming Chiefs squad 27-21.
Not only did the game see Chiefs future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce — fresh off his engagement to global pop mega-star Taylor Swift — catch just two passes (albeit one for a touchdown), he also inexplicably collided with wide receiver Xavier Worthy early in the first quarter.
The collision dislocated Worthy’s shoulder and ruled him out for the rest of the game — and possibly the Eagles matchup on Sunday as well.
On-Field Squabbling Bothers Gronk
Perhaps even more unsettling for the Chiefs, Kelce was seen berating offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor, who suffered four penalties in the loss, and late in the game when it became clear that the Kansas City defense could not contain quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense, linebacker Drue Tranquill and defensive tackle Chris Jones got into a verbal altercation on the field.
The infighting is what bothered commentator Rob Gronkowski, himself a future Hall of Fame tight end and three-time Super Bowl winner — twice with the New England Patriots, once with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gronkowski: Chiefs Will ‘Fold’
Speaking to NFL Network reporter Kay Adams Wednesday, Gronkowski said that the Chiefs’ infighting surprised him, and was “not a good situation.”
“You want to come together when you’re down to figure out why things aren’t going the way they need to go. It’s not a good sign,” Gronkowski said. “They’ve got to get on the same page and not blame each other.”
But Gronkowski went even further, questioning whether the current Chiefs team has the character for another run at the Super Bowl, even suggesting the Chiefs — who have played in five of the last six Super Bowls and won three — would “fold.”
“The chiefs were like, whoa, they’re coming at us. How do we react? Well, they didn’t know how to react because no one was doing that before,” Gronkowski said, recalling the Kansas City performance in Super Bowl 59. “So the Philadelphia Eagles open that floodgate of, ‘Hey, if you punch these guys in the face, you take it to ’em. You come out swinging, they’re gonna fold, and they’re not gonna be the team that you’ve been seeing all last year.'”
In the current Chiefs’ run of success, it was Gronkowski’s Tampa Bay team that inflicted the first Super Bowl defeat on Mahomes and Co. easily crushing the Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55.
BREAKING NEWS: Christian McCaffrey Calls for Support of Kirk Family Amid National Tragedy
In the aftermath of the heartbreaking loss of Kirk, NFL star Christian McCaffrey has publicly called for fans and supporters to come together and stand by the grieving family. McCaffrey, known for his leadership and commitment both on and off the field, expressed his condolences and urged the public to honor Kirk’s memory with peace and support.
Taking to social media, McCaffrey shared his heartfelt message: “In times like these, it’s important for all of us to come together and show the Kirk family that they are not alone. Let’s support them through this difficult time, not only with our thoughts but with our actions. This is a moment for unity and peace.”
McCaffrey’s statement follows an earlier declaration from former President Donald Trump, who issued a strong critique of the “far-left” and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast in honor of Kirk. Trump also announced that Kirk would posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his extraordinary contributions, calling for his supporters to respond peacefully and with respect.
As McCaffrey’s call for support spreads, many from across the sports world and beyond have echoed his sentiments. The emotional outpouring from fans, athletes, and public figures is a powerful reminder of the strength of community in times of grief. The Kirk family’s loss has united people in a shared expression of solidarity and love, showing that, even in the darkest of times, compassion and peace prevail.
