Count former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski among those who want to see Joe Burrow take a team-friendly deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The conversation around Burrow’s upcoming contract extension amplified this talking point recently because Burrow admitted he’s keeping in mind guys like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins during his own negotiations.
Appearing on the “Up & Adams” show with Kay Adams, Gronkowski outlined why he would like to see Burrow do a Brady-like deal:
“With the contract now, he’s already thinking he wants good players around him…and that’s a great thing. What’s the difference, if you’re a quarterback, you’re in this day and era, you’re in this market and you have good teammates around you, your building your legacy, you’re going to be in Super Bowl contention…what’s the difference between $47-48 million or $53-54 million when the next highest guy on the team is only getting paid in the 20s?”
Keep in mind, Gronkowski has been adamant in his Burrow fandom for some time now. He’d also know a thing or two about quarterback team-friendly deals after his days with Brady.
But the team-friendly idea is a controversial one. If the pay cut difference isn’t that big of a deal for Burrow, it’s probably not a big deal for a billion-dollar franchise, either.
When talking about team-friendly deals, it’s only going to be friendly in a structure sense, perhaps similar to what Patrick Mahomes’ rolling-guarantees deal did for the Chiefs, saving the team cap space. Burrow’s undoubtedly still going to land as one of the league’s highest-paid players, if not highest outright until the next quarterback contract gets signed.
.@RobGronkowski’s advice to Joe Burrow on his new contract:
Take a team-friendly deal like Tom Brady and go contend every year.
📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/0FvOkzyNDv
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 17, 2023
