Rob Gronkowski Suspended One Game For Late Hit On Tre’Davious White

The NFL suspended New England Patriots Tight End Rob Gronkowski one game for a late hit on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White during Sunday’s AFC East meeting at New Era Field.

Rob Gronkowski has been suspended for 1 game for violation of unnecessary roughness rules pic.twitter.com/ySlimskMdh

— Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) December 4, 2017

Gronkowski will miss the team’s Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 14. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe broke down the financial implications of the suspension:

A 1 game suspension will cost Gronk a $250k game check, a $31,250 game-day roster bonus, and will make it that much tougher to reach his $5.5 million incentive level (90 percent of snaps, OR 80 catches, OR 1,200 yards, OR 14 touchdowns)

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) December 4, 2017

The penalty happened in the fourth quarter, after Gronkowski reportedly was upset that White wasn’t called for defensive holding or pass interference prior to an interception.

While White was on the ground after the play was blown dead, Gronkowski drove head and shoulders first into White’s helmet and neck.

Gronkowski was flagged for unnecessary roughness after the hit, while White was taken out of the game and put into the concussion protocol.

“I want to apologize to No. 27,” Gronkowski said after the game, per Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports. “I’m not in the business of that. I mean, there was a lot of frustration and I was just really frustrated at that moment and it just happened naturally through emotions… I just want to apologize to White.”

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Gronkowski will be appealing the decision.

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