Rob Gronkowski Offers Certain Advice to Fix Buccaneers' Offense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers season hasn't gone the way anyone wanted it to.
Whether it was quarterback Tom Brady retiring, guard Ali Marpet retiring, then Brady unretiring while head coach Bruce Arians retired, followed by the departure of future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski.
2022 just hasn't been the Bucs' year.
And on the first full day of training camp, center Ryan Jensen went down with a knee injury.
Snake-bitten is how you might describe it.
But we asked Gronkowski himself to describe what needs to change for things to get better for Tampa Bay.
READ MORE: Is Mike Evans' NFL Record Streak About to End?
"I would say that someone needs to just step it up," Gronkowski said of the offense while appearing on the Locked On Bucs podcast. "Defense has been playing well (the) majority of the year. But on offense, someone just needs to step it up. Say, 'I'm just going to take over this game.'...go out there put up 150+ yard games, put up a couple touchdowns...people will feel that energy if one of the players just goes out there and just puts up a massive game...it'll just trickle down. They've got a lot of stars and one of them just needs to step up and go off."
Stepping up is something Gronk knows well.
Not only did he do it during his legendary NFL career, he continues to do so in retirement.
Most recently teaming up with USAA and the Recycled Rides program to help deliver one of 100 vehicles to a deserving military veteran.
Gronkowski delivered vehicle No. 87 to Jonny Flores, a retired Soldier and Purple Heart recipient.
Because of Gronk and USAA, Flores will have the transportation he and his family need to continue living a full life despite the challenges they're facing.
If only they could deliver the answers to Tampa Bay's challenges as well, which are very real, and start in the worst place you could ask them to.
The offensive line.
READ MORE: All Options Open for Brady
"It's a tough situation with the offensive line as well," Gronkowski said. "They've had so many injuries there and you're rotating so many players in and out from the tackle (and) guard position. Just having guys go down, I mean...that's where a great football team starts...That's definitely a big challenge and that makes it tough."
No Marpet, no Jensen, and unfortunately no Gronk.
Couple those losses with the injury to right tackle Tristan Wirfs and an especially down year for left tackle Donovan Smith, and it's easy to see why the Buccaneers are struggling to back their way into the playoffs.
A team in search of answers, and looking for someone to step it up, as Gronk put it.
Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the season.
