TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – “He is probably in New England shape but he is not in Florida shape.”
The head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bruce Arians, shared that message with a group of reporters on Monday when he was asked if Rob Gronkowski appeared to be in football shape.
Gronkowski admitted he heard that same statement from his coach too.
“I want to be moving like I was back in the day,” Gronkowski said on Thursday. “Why would I want to be moving like poop?”
The 31-year-old tight end did not play football last season, which he attributes to his added agility this year.
“I believe you have to truly understand your body,” he said. “Working with Tom and working with Alex, who is Tom’s guy, you got to take care of your body 24/7.”
Gronkowski said he is adjusting to the humidity in Florida but, as you would expect from him, he is not allowing it to put a damper on his day.
“Your sweating, your gloves are sweaty, your shoes, it feels like you just jumped into a pool. You just laugh about it when you are out there on the field,” said Gronkowski. “You just laugh that your shoes are squishing.”