Rob Gronkowski will miss Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As was noted by Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, it could cost the New England Patriots tight end $2 million, as well.
By being inactive tonight, Gronk is now on pace to reach his $8.75M incentive tier. Barring an All-Pro selection, this could cost him $2M.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) October 5, 2017
As talented as Gronkowski is, injuries have been a big part of his career. He hasn’t played a full 16-game regular season since 2011. As such, he has an incentive-heavy contract that rewards him for being on the field.
Thursday will mark Gronkowski’s first missed game of the 2017 season.