Rob Gronkowski’s Madden 21 ratings have dropped, and they immediately threw the online sports world into a heated debate. Here’s why the ratings are right.
In what always turns out to be a spectacle, the player ratings have started to drop for this year’s iteration of Madden, and the debate that ensued did not disappoint. The most polarizing player of those released so far is Buccaneer tight end, Rob Gronkowski.
Gronk is currently rated as the third-best tight end overall in the game at a 95, following only George Kittle and Travis Kelce as the top-two.
For those who don’t play Madden, the 95 rating comes as a shock to most people, especially considering that the cover athlete, quarterback Lamar Jackson, is only rated as a 94. “How can a tight end returning from retirement be ranked higher than the MVP from last season?” gamers ask.
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While Gronkowski’s rating may seem high initially, there are several variables to take into account before taking pitchforks and torches to the Madden studios.
First and foremost, Gronk is the greatest tight end in NFL history, end of story. No argument has any other player at that position close to Gronk both in impact and success, and there are some renowned names in that group.
Yes, Gronk may have taken a year off, but his level of greatness doesn’t wear off after a prolonged vacation. If Beethoven took a year off of music, would there have been a dramatic drop-off in his next composition? If Barack Obama took a year off from public speaking, would he be unable to deliver a moving speech? Sports are one thing, but greatness rarely just wears off, especially after one year.
In addition to Gronk’s transcendent abilities, the year off could actually benefit him as a player. Gronkowski constantly struggled with injuries during his career, and taking a year off from the beating off football could easily have him playing at the healthiest he has been in years.
Gronk is still in prime position to be one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, even if he has slimmed down a little bit (but no one would ever call Gronk small at his current playing weight), and his receiving skills could reach new heights in the Buccaneer offense.
Ninety-five may seem high, especially when looking at some of the other players and their ratings, but the Madden developers were almost right on the money designing Rob Gronkowski.