NFL Rumors: Reports Of A Rob Gronkowski Trade Are Fake News, According To ‘NBC Sports’
New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski is not going to be traded any time soon, NBC Sports reports, and any rumor you’ve heard about a possible trade involving the Hall of Fame-bound tight end is fake news.
The whole thing began, as these things sometimes do, on social media. Early Tuesday morning, The Kirk & Callahan Show, which airs on WEEI (Boston), tweeted that Gronkowski’s career with the New England Patriots was coming to an end.
“Breaking: @KenLairdWEEI is reporting that Gronk is going to be traded in the next couple weeks.”
At first blush, the rumor made sense in context. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Gronkowski has been the subject of trade rumors ever since the end of Super Bowl LII. And as the Inquisitr explained, several teams are interested in the 28-year-old. One possible trade being discussed is a move that would send Gronk to Dallas, with Dez Bryant being moved to make room for the commanding salary Gronkowski is going to want.
So with trade rumors swirling in the background, it appears that one or more Boston sports personalities decided that now would be the time for a joke. And so the tweet was sent out, causing “other websites” to report the news that Gronkowski was being traded as true.
Multiple teams reportedly are preparing trade offers for Rob Gronkowski. https://t.co/cuNV0RdEyg pic.twitter.com/W8GSnDiJoH
— NESN (@NESN) April 3, 2018
Unfortunately for Dallas fans, NBC Sports reporter Mike Florio says that the rumor is not true. None other than WEEI’s Chris Curtis called Florio to say that the tweet was just a joke.
Florio doesn’t get it.
He points out, first of all, that April Fool’s Day was two days ago, so the “joke” is late at best. Further, the joke lacks a setup, reinforcement, or payoff. Finally, he says, he’s done taking anything he gets from WEEI at face value.
That’s not to say that a Gronkowski trade won’t happen. CBS Sports reports that Gronkowski is “frustrated” with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and he wants out of Boston. Writer Ryan Wilson points out that there’s still a legitimate chance that Gronk could wind up with Cleveland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, or, yes, Dallas.
Meanwhile, Boston Globe writer Chad Finn holds out hope that the Pats will find a way to “keep Gronkowski happy.”
“Gronkowski is still in his prime. He’s still a wrecking ball. He’s still a Patriot, and it had better remain that way.”
As of this writing, Rob Gronkowski himself has not addressed any trade rumors involving him.
