Gronk on slow start: 'I'm here to block, baby'

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski doesn’t appear to be fazed by his slow start in Bruce Arians’ offense — one that has rendered him with just two catches for 11 yards on four targets and 33 routes run in two games. He’s taking things in stride and treating it with some humor.

“I’m a blocking tight end. I came here to block, baby,” Gronkowski joked Friday. “So four targets is four more than I thought I was gonna get.”

It’s the lowest production of the five-time Pro Bowler’s career through the first two weeks of any season. In his seven other seasons in which he’s played in Weeks 1 and 2, he’s averaged 8.7 catches on 13.4 targets, 127 receiving yards and 1.85 touchdowns.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Gronkowski and quarterback Tom Brady have linked up for the fifth-most touchdowns by a QB-receiver duo in NFL history with 78. Gronkowski has reached 1,000 receiving yards four times — one of just four tight ends in NFL history to do so.