If fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t learned by now, Rob Gronkowski isn’t someone who tends to keep quiet when something is on his mind. Gronkowski has never been one to really make controversial comments, but he’s certainly not a guy who speaks in cliches like some other players around the NFL.
Just recently, the Bucs tight end talked about how “nuts,” it would have been to face his hometown Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. Instead, Gronkowski and Tampa will be taking on the mighty Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday in Super Bowl LV.
If the Bucs are going to have a chance at getting a win this weekend, they will likely need to put a ton of pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But if you ask Gronkowski, there’s a guy on Tampa’s defensive line that is more than capable of bringing the pressure on Sunday.
Rob Gronkowski praises Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass rusher
During a recent conversation with NFL Media’s Kay Adams, Gronkowski couldn’t help himself when it came to talking about Bucs defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
"“He is awesome. He is one of the greatest dudes. He’s always energized. He’s always in a good mood and [he’s] always joking around too. But let me tell you, he’s always bringing it too. He’s always bringing it to the table [with] whatever he’s doing and it’s just incredible. With the tools that he has and how he’s doing it, he’s just an incredible athlete too. It’s spectacular to watch him. He’s a beast.”"
In his third year with Tampa, Pierre-Paul finished the 2020 regular season with 55 tackles (seven for a loss), 22 pressures, 14 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions. In the playoffs, the veteran pass rusher has played an important part in the Bucs’ success with 10 tackles, four pressures, and two sacks.
Back in Week 12 when Tampa fell three points short of defeating Kansas City, Pierre-Paul caused tons of problems for the opposing offensive line. In that matchup with the Chiefs, the Bucs defensive end finished with four tackles, four pressures, and one sack.
Buccaneers: 5 most dangerous players vs. Chiefs in Super Bowl 55
The Buccaneers will look to get the most out of these five players in Super Bowl 55 when they look to upend the always-potent Chiefs.
If Pierre-Paul can have a similar performance on Sunday to the one he had in Week 12 against Kansas City, then Tampa will have a legitimate chance to win this season’s Super Bowl. One thing is for sure though, Gronkowski will be rooting for him from the sideline whenever the defensive is on the field this weekend.