Tom Brady believes "everybody in their next life wishes they can come back as Rob Gronkowski" as the superstar duo aim to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to glory at Super Bowl LV.
Legendary quarterback Brady and tight end Gronkowski forged a strong bond as part of the dynasty that dominated the NFL for so long at the New England Patriots.
Gronkowski retired after the 2018 season but, after just one campaign out of the game, the lure of playing alongside his long-time friend in Tampa proved too strong to resist.
Now Gronkowski has the chance of a fourth Super Bowl ring, while Brady is attempting to win a seventh.
Speaking at a news conference previewing Sunday's showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady was asked by Gronkowski's girlfriend, Camille Kostek, for an inside track on what it is like playing together.
"You know what he's super excited because he feels so good, he's played 20 games this year so it's the most I think he's ever played his career," Brady said.
"He's one of the most unique people, as you know, just being around him. He's so positive I think everybody wishes in their next life they can come back as Rob just because he's got such a great personality about him, just his way of being positive and he's a real high achiever.
"He's very competitive, and I see the competitive nature, the determination like, when you're down and out, you want him with you. And I think that speaks to him as a team-mate and as a person. And I love playing with him.
"You know I've known him for a long time, and I'm just so proud of all his accomplishments. He's an amazing guy. And I know, for both of us, we rely on each other a lot for different things. And I'll be looking for him this Sunday so that's the most important thing."
At the age of 43, Brady is about as experienced as it gets when it comes to preparing for the Super Bowl.
But he is under no illusions as to the size of the task the Buccaneers face against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday.
"It's a slow build I think for this game because it's two weeks of prep," he added.
"You feel out the physical stuff. You're pretty much done at this point. And at this point it's just going through in your head, different situations, scenarios, all your different calls that you'd have, just trying to think about how they're going to play us.
"And then, again, I think that's where the mental prep, you really can't leave any stone unturned at this point. Friday, Saturday, Sunday just over three days left in the season. So, 72 hours.
"And, you know, you got to use it all and use it to the maximum, because this is a game that's really going to challenge us as a team, it's a very tough team to beat. They haven't been beaten in a long time.
"They've got a great offense, got a great defense, really well coached. We have to be in a good place out there and compete and get ready for a great game. So, it's a long game, it's a hard game, it's a long day. But you got to be ready when the ball's kicked off and we're going to be challenged. They're going to challenge us and we are going to answer the challenge."
Cardinals release three-time All-Pro WR Hopkins
The Arizona Cardinals have released wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins after failing to find a trade partner.
The team announced the move Friday on Twitter.
Hopkins spent three seasons with the Cardinals after being acquired via trade from the Houston Texans in March 2020.
The 30-year-old had a stellar debut season with Arizona, being voted to his fifth Pro Bowl after tying his personal best with 115 catches totalling 1,407 yards.
In 2021 and 2022, Hopkins had a combined 106 catches as a torn knee ligament and a six-game suspension for performance-enhancing substances limited his playing time.
Earlier this offseason, the Cardinals brought in a new leadership team in general manager Monti Ossenfort and defensive-minded head coach Jonathan Gannon, leading to trade rumours circling Hopkins.
Arizona were unable to find a trade partner to take on Hopkins' $22.6million salary cap hit during the draft last month, leaving the rebuilding Cardinals no other choice but to release the three-time All-Pro receiver.
Amid the offseason trade rumours, Hopkins had been notably absent from voluntary OTA workouts and caused a stir earlier this week when he discussed the NFL's top quarterbacks on a podcast and omitted now-former teammate Kyler Murray.
In three seasons with the Cardinals, Hopkins recorded 221 receptions for 2,696 yards and 17 touchdowns in 35 games.
The 10-year veteran has 853 career catches for 11,298 yards and 71 touchdowns.
Mahomes concerned with 'winning rings more than making money'
Patrick Mahomes' focus is on "winning rings" and not making more money, as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback aims to cement his legacy as an NFL great.
Mahomes was the driving force yet again as the Chiefs won their second Super Bowl in the space of three years to cap the 2022 season.
The Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Arizona, with league MVP Mahomes completing 21 of 27 passes for three touchdowns.
In the process, Mahomes, who was battling injury throughout the Chiefs' postseason, became the first player since Kurt Warner in 1999 to be crowned NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same season.
Yet Mahomes, who became the NFL's highest-paid player when he signed a $450million, 10-year contract in 2020, is now only the seventh-highest-paid QB in the league when it comes to average annual salary.
The 27-year-old, though, is not concerned by money, even though the Chiefs have hinted they will look at improving his terms.
"I've always said I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment," he told reporters on Wednesday, as quoted by ESPN.
"We see what's going on around the league, but at the same time, I'll never do anything that's going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me.
"So it's kind of teetering around that line.
"You just want to do whatever to not hurt other quarterbacks [financially]. Whenever their contracts come up, you want to keep the bar pushing [higher]."
Mahomes wants to find a sweet spot where he is earning a fair salary that also enables the Chiefs to retain other players who have proved crucial to their success.
He explained: "It's not about being the highest-paid guy; it's not about making a ton of money. I've made enough money that I'll be set for the rest of my life.
"But at the same time, you got to find that line where you're making a good amount of money but you're still keeping a lot of great players around you so you can win these Super Bowls and you're able to compete in these games.
"If you look at the greats in the league, they find that right spot where they're getting paid a lot of money but at the same time keeping a lot of these great players around.
"I understand you look at the team and you've got guys like Chris [Jones] and [L'Jarius] Sneed and even Travis [Kelce], all these guys that you need to keep around you to have these great teams. But at the same time, you want to make sure you're taking care of yourself."
NFL approves rule allowing ball to be placed on 25-yard line on fair catches on kick-offs
The kick-off return is moving closer and closer towards extinction.
The NFL owners approved a rule on Tuesday that allows teams receiving a free kick (kick-off or safety kick) to get the ball at their own 25-yard line if the team calls for a fair catch anywhere behind their own 25.
The rule has been put in place for just the 2023 season, and will be revisited next offseason.
The intention behind the new rule stems from player safety with concussion rates on kick-offs will be reduced by 15 per cent, according to NFL executive Jeff Miller.
Kick-offs are considered the most dangerous play in the NFL, as data shows concussions occurs more than twice as often on them than on plays from scrimmages.
While the new rule should help with head injuries, it also takes away an exciting part of the game. Under the new rule, models suggest that the kick-off return rate will decrease from 38 per cent to 31 per cent.
There will almost certainly be a backlash among players and coaches, as the new rule will likely bring about more squib kicks and other unreturnable kicks.
This is the second major rule change made to kick-offs in the last decade with the backdrop of player safety in mind.
In 2016, the NFL moved touchbacks on kick-offs up to the 25-yard line from the 20, with the rationale teams will take the ball five yards closer to their own end zone rather than risk getting tackled behind the 25. And fewer returns would also likely mean fewer injuries.
The rule change, however, has taken the ball out of the hands out of kick-off returners, and decreased the likelihood of an exciting return.
There were only nine kick-off returns for touchdowns last season – the fewest in a non-strike season since the 1970 merger.
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