New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, right, was accused of making a dirty hit into the back of the head of Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White. (NFL, Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports)
Gronk may be known as the big kid of the NFL always about to go over the line — but one shot Sunday got him flagged for unnecessary roughness, and led him to apologize after the game.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was accused of making a dirty hit after pile-driving shoulder-first into the back of the head of Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White, who was laying on the field after making an interception with 4:50 remaining.
White was dazed as he got up and was immediately escorted to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. The hit sparked a shoving match between Bills safety Micah Hyde and Patriots receiver Danny Amendola.
Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes was so upset he was flagged for making contact with an official.
Gronkowski, Hyde and Amendola were penalized for unnecessary roughness.
“That’s just dirty football,” Hyde said. “There’s nowhere in our game for that.”
“I’m not in the business of that,” Gronkowski said after the game, according to USA Today. ”There was a lot of frustration, and I was just really frustrated at that moment. It just happened naturally through emotions, frustration. Just want to apologize to Tre’Davious White. I don’t really believe in the type of shots like that.”
Gronkowski may face disciplinary action from the league for the play, according to NBC Sports.
Gronkowski said his frustration was because he believes White should have been called for a holding penalty at the top of the route, according to USA Today.
“I just don’t understand why there wasn’t a flag,” he continued. “And there was a couple of times in the game. And they are calling me for the craziest stuff ever. It’s like crazy. Like, what am I supposed to do? And then they don’t call that? It was just frustration. That’s what happened.”
The Patriots won their eighth straight in a 23-3 victory over the Bills in the AFC East showdown.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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