JACKSON THOMPSON: Gronk calls on NFL to punish refs, says Patriots made last Super Bowl due to easy schedule

Rob Gronkowski is calling for the NFL to institute referee punishments amid a slew of questionable officiating decisions this season. The New England Patriots legend also revealed he is skeptical of his long-time team's chances at getting back to the Super Bowl, and suggested they made it last year due to a weak schedule.

Gronkowki shared his bevy of strong takes, revealed some newly-unearthed secrets about Bill Belichick's strangest rules, and revealed a new technology he is using to heal his body from the wear and tear of football in an interview with OutKick.

Gronkowski believes officials should face consequences just as the players and coaches whose games they help decide do.

"So yeah, I think, you know, it would be fair and square to, you know, put the referees on a pedestal as well and — and have punishment just like any coach or any NFL player can be punished just like that," Gronkowski said.

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Asked whether the NFL needs more accountability for officials, Gronkowski pointed to how quickly a player’s fortunes can change.

"I think so, actually, because players are accountable. Players can be cut the very next day and you’ve seen players cut," he continued.

Gronkowski’s comments followed Tom Brady’s criticism of several calls during the Detroit Lions’ 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers during Sunday's NFL on FOX broadcast. Brady and FOX rules analyst Dean Blandino disputed multiple decisions, including roughing-the-passer penalties and an intentional grounding call.

Gronkowski agreed with his former quarterback’s broader concerns.

"I don’t think the referees are doing that great of a job. I think they can definitely improve," he said.

He identified pass interference and roughing-the-passer calls as areas that need improvement before the postseason, warning that incorrect flags could determine games.

"We want it to be fair and square. That’s what fans want to see," he said. "Yes, you call it when it’s appropriate, but when it’s not appropriate, you know, it doesn’t need to be called and affects the game in all ways."

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The NFL already grades officials on every play, according to its Football Operations website. Those evaluations help determine postseason assignments.

Gronkowski also recalled his own frustration with offensive pass interference penalties when defenders collided with him.

"It was just me running and I was just a bigger body. So the guy would bounce off of me, you know, even though he ran into me and then I would get the flag. It just didn’t make any sense," he said.

The Patriots enter Week 8 at 4-3 after a 30-24 loss to the Chicago Bears, and have shown signs of regression after reaching the Super Bowl last year.

"Their schedule definitely was pretty, pretty simple last year. They’re playing tougher opponents this year, tougher defenses. I think that has more to play with it," Gronkowski said of the Patriots. "I definitely think the schedule plays a part in it for sure. It really does."

Gronkowski sees a playoff team in New England. He is less convinced he sees a championship team.

"The Patriots, I think, are a pretty solid, you know, football team. And I think they’re going to make the playoffs. They definitely have a chance at winning their division. They just got to pick it up," he said.

"I just don’t see enough right now for them to be a potential, you know, Super Bowl candidate."

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Gronkowski also pointed offensive injuries and the need for more playmakers. He said New England’s offense had been clicking more consistently last season.

"They’re just having some problems right now, a couple injuries, injuries all across the offensive line. They’re depleted there. So I think the injuries, you know, to the offensive unit is playing a crucial part as well," he said.

"And once they get everyone back and AJ Brown gets fully healthy, I think they can start clicking at a high level then."

Asked what he would bring to the current locker room, Gronkowski emphasized experience and a belief that the team can win regardless of the circumstances.

"I would say just a mentality of bringing it at practice and also having just a winning mentality that, hey, no matter the situation, we’re going to come, we’re going to find a way to win this game," he said.

Gronkowski’s memories of the Patriots include Bill Belichick’s rules for what players could do away from the field — including a ban on burning incense in hotel rooms.

"He said, not even incense are allowed to be burned in your hotel room," Gronkowski recalled, explaining that Belichick wanted to leave no room for interpretation about burning anything.

But the rule that bothered him most involved where veteran players had to sleep during training camp.

"I would just say the most wildest one, though, was having veteran players stay at the hotel, even though their homes are closer to the facility than the hotel throughout training camp," he said.

"That definitely drove a couple of veteran players like myself crazy."

Still, Gronkowski said he understood the reasoning behind Belichick’s strict approach. He credited Belichick and Brady with shaping his habits, calling them "the two biggest leaders of my life."

Brady’s approach to food and preparation, in particular, offered a lesson Gronkowski could carry beyond football.

"He didn’t force it down anyone, but you just watch him. That’s what it’s all about is leading by example," Gronkowski said.

Now, Gronkowski’s own priorities include staying active and managing the physical toll of his playing career.

"If you have your health, you know, you have everything," he said.

He continues to work out and incorporates hot yoga, saunas and float tanks into his routine. He also discussed his partnership with DNA Vibe, whose Jazz Band wearable he credits with helping him manage aches and pains.

"You got to ask someone that truly knows the science behind red light therapy, but, you know, I just like to do it because I’ve tried it, you know, through my own experiences and it works," he said.

DNA Vibe founder and CEO Perry Kamel said the device combines red and infrared light, micro-vibration and magnetic pulses, which the company markets as supporting the body’s natural recovery processes.

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"One of the things that I love about being at DNA Vibe is that the mission of the company is to help every single person live at their peak potential no matter who you are,"

Gronkowski is also promoting a 30‑Day free tryout for the product.

Gronkowski sees a connection between McCarthy and Brady, but it has more to do with their response to adversity than their playing styles.

"They’re totally different quarterbacks, they really really are," he said. "The only similarities is that you’ve got to go through adversity to be great."

Both quarterbacks played in big games for Michigan, and then didn't have the smoothest starts to their NFL careers.

Brady was famously a sixth-round draft pick who had to spend a year climbing the New England depth chart just to reach the backup role at the start of year two. McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in 2024, had to work his way back into a starting role after losing his job in Minnesota and getting traded to the Giants.

The Vikings traded McCarthy to the Giants on Sept. 28 for a 2027 fifth-round pick. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards in his first Giants start, a 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Gronkowski said McCarthy had shown he was prepared when another opportunity arrived, drawing a comparison to Brady’s readiness when he moved from backup to starter.

"That’s also very similar as well is when your number is called and you’re ready to go," he said.

He believes McCarthy can help take New York to the postseason.

"I really do think he has what it takes to take the Giants team to the playoffs," Gronkowski said. "He has a resurgence, he has vengeance within his eyes and that’s what I saw."

Gronkowski also defended the attention surrounding NFL players’ celebrity relationships, particularly Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

"I think it boosted it to a whole other level. I think it got more eyeballs on the game. I think it was great for the NFL to expand its broadcasts to expand to its fan base," he said of their relationship.

"Overall I just see that it was very positive and it helped out tremendously because NFL wants to grow. It wants to grow in the US. It wants to grow overseas and it couldn’t have been a better situation with those two."

Asked whether the focus on celebrity couples could annoy fans, Gronkowski rejected the idea that broadcasts have gone too far.

"I think it’s great for visibility and I don’t think it’s overexposed at all. It’s not like they’re sitting down doing interviews with them. They’re just showing their partner cheering for them and that’s just like any other relationship in life," he said.

"Every partner’s cheering for their partner and that’s what life is all about. I think it’s great and it’s not overexposed at all either and it’s just perfect where it’s at."

Gronkowski is also optimistic about the entertainment planned for the NFL’s biggest stage.

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Jay-Z was announced Monday as the Super Bowl LXI halftime performer. The game is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. His company, Roc Nation, has partnered with the NFL on the halftime show since 2019.

Asked about Jay-Z choosing himself for the performance, Gronkowski suggested that would be a reason to expect something special.

"You know, I can tell you this, if Jay Z is in control of picking the halftime show and he picks himself, I can tell you this, expect a hell of a show because I’m not picking myself unless if I know I’m going to bring the heat," he said.

"So you know, Jay Z has something up his sleeve and it’s going to be popping."