Joe Burrow has been told to follow Tom Brady and prioritise ‘legacy’ rather than chase dollars, and it’s something the Cincinnati Bengals star is already open to.
Speaking to Kay Adams on Wednesday, the retired tight end called it a “great thing” that Burrow is considering his teammates while negotiating a contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Gronkowski believes the quarterback can cement Cincinnati as a yearly title contender by taking a “little team-friendly deal.” “What’s the difference between $40-47, 48 million or $53-54 million when the next highest guy on your team’s only getting paid in the 20s?
There’s already that big of a difference between your pay and the next [highest-paid] guy on your team,” Gronkowski said on Up & Adams (h/t All Bengals). “So who cares?”
Brady left money on the table throughout his New England Patriots tenure so they can afford Gronkowski and other stars.
.@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
Gronk said he sees some of his former star teammate in Burrow, but he doesn’t think the 26-year-old should sacrifice as much as Brady. “I’m waiting for a quarterback to do that, like kind of go down the Brady route,” Gronkowski said. “Not as much as the Brady route.
I mean, he was taking like half. He was taking 50 percent discounts, which we don’t even get at the pro shop in New England. … I want to see it happen, but just not to that degree.”
Gronkowski suggested Burrow can make up the difference by requesting private flights and other luxuries that don’t count against the team’s salary cap.
Burrow told reporters Tuesday that he and the Bengals are “on the road” to completing a new deal. While it’s unclear if he’ll take a home-town discount, he called it a “focal point” to maintain the team’s foundation. He’s currently set to play under the fifth-year option that pays $29.5 million fully guaranteed in 2023.
