'Bill Belichick is 10 Vince McMahons': Wrestler sees less stress in WWE for Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski has a plethora of avenues he could choose to follow as he makes his next career step after retiring from the NFL this month following a nine-year career with the New England Patriots.
Fans are already throwing their hopes and dreams at Gronk with many speculating he will join the WWE, a dream he himself once held. In 2017 he made an appearance in the ring at WrestleMania and further fueled speculation this week by attending a WWE charity event.
One NFL player-turned-wrestler doesn’t think the 29-year-old Gronkowski will go to the sport full-time, but if he does he knows one thing: it will be a vacation after playing for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
Ojinnaka: No one in WWE is like Belichick
Quinn Ojinnaka, known in the wrestling world as Moose, was in the NFL from 2006 through 2012 with four different teams. He spent eight games with the Patriots in 2010, Gronkowski’s rookie year, and told Sports Illustrated there is no one in the WWE comparable to Belichick. Not even WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
“Bill Belichick is the equivalent of ten Vince McMahons mixed into one,” Ojinnaka told SI. “There is no one else like Belichick.”
The coach is known for his cutthroat decisions, cold-blooded nature and want to win at all costs.
Injuries predicted to keep Gronk from WWE
Most speculating about Gronkowski’s next career move agree that he’ll stay away from wrestling due to the injuries he suffered while a tight end. He’s had concussions, a torn ACL, torn MCL, organ bruises and back issues that go back to his college years at Arizona.
Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross told Omnisport earlier this year he thinks if the training and promotion was done right, Gronkowski could perform part-time.
Ojinnaka agrees that injuries will keep the star personality from WWE.
“I think Gronk’s going to sign with WWE, but he’s not going to make it his next career,” Ojinnaka told SI. “He can have a big match at WrestleMania or SummerSlam, but I know Gronk. People need to understand that his body has been through hell. Gronk can’t make this a career, but he can have a couple great matches.”
WWE wrestler Mojo Rawley said he also believes his personal friend will join the ranks and is excited for what that could mean now that the “shackles” of the NFL and Patriots are off.
Not everyone is on board, though.
WWE star Becky Lynch isn’t on board with Gronkowski potentially joining the ranks. She told TMZ Sports it seemed unfair someone with no experience could step right into the wrestling world.
“Some of us almost get fired and have to work our way and scratch and claw, and then we come to the main event,” she told the site. "Other people are like, here you go, here's your debut match at WrestleMania ... see you at WrestleMania."
WrestleMania 35 will take place April 7 from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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