Foxborough, October 2025

A wave of controversy erupted after Colin Cowherd, the renowned sports host of The Herd, bluntly declared that the New England Patriots’ 5–2 record is an “illusion” and “the luckiest streak in the NFL this year.” Cowherd argued that the Patriots’ victory over the Buffalo Bills was “merely the result of opponents’ mistakes,” while their win against the Tennessee Titans was “hardly noteworthy since they had just lost their head coach days earlier.”

But less than 24 hours later, Rob Gronkowski, a legend of Gillette Stadium, delivered a fiery response on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. With his signature smile but a resolute tone, Gronkowski said:
“I was once a part of this team. And if there’s one thing the Patriots don’t rely on, it’s luck. You don’t beat the Bills, you don’t lead the AFC East, just by luck. That’s effort, that’s culture, that’s New England DNA.”

The former legendary tight end also reiterated that the “standard of winning” in Foxborough is never measured solely by the scoreboard, but by how they overcome adversity:
“When a team is underestimated yet still fights and still wins—that’s not luck, that’s grit.”

Gronk also defended Drake Maye, the Patriots’ rookie QB, who is steadily steering the team back to a winning track:
“He’s got the spirit of a champion. You see him practicing every morning, talking to his teammates, staying calm in big moments—those are things you can’t call luck.”

Gronk’s remarks quickly spread like wildfire across social media. Thousands of Patriots fans left supportive comments: “That’s our Gronk—hitting the nail on the head.”

While Cowherd continued to insist that the Patriots “will collapse in November,” Gronkowski sent a cryptic message:
“Keep doubting them. Because every time you think the Patriots are done—that’s when they come back the strongest.”

And in Foxborough, that message rings out like a familiar bell every fall: Never underestimate New England. 💙❤️