NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
An off-season scandal isn’t what a team fresh off a Super Bowl appearance needs as it tries to build momentum for next season, but that’s where the New England Patriots find themselves heading into the 2026 campaign.
There’s no need to detail what happened with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, as their relationship took center stage in NFL news earlier this offseason. And while the Patriots are trying to prepare for a grueling training camp, heading into a season as the reigning AFC champions, the questions, columns, talk shows and more are likely to continue.
It’s never easy to deal with outside noise, and as much as players say they’re not focused on it, ignoring it completely is a challenge.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Rob Gronkowski visits the set of Thursday Night Football on Prime at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before an NFL game between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots on November 13. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
But one legendary Patriots player, Rob Gronkowski, is no stranger to dealing with outside noise from reporters and fans alike. Throughout years of success in New England, he has had to deal with rumors of locker room turmoil, the Aaron Hernandez scandal and more.
“Gronk” is the perfect person to ask how his former team can deal with this kind of cloud entering a season, and he was quick to respond.
DRAKE MAYE EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR PATRIOTS COACH MIKE VRABEL AS OFF-FIELD CONTROVERSY CONTINUES TURNING
“It’s as easy as this: Win. You win,” he told Pak Gazette Digital, while highlighting his partnership with Ryde and the launch of SLEEP, the brand’s new injection of functional wellness. “You come together as a team. You work together, you work hard.”
Is it as simple as winning? History has shown, especially in Foxborough, that that is the case. No matter what’s happening off the field, in the meeting rooms or in the locker room, winning cures everything.
Winning shows that a team is still doing the job and has what it takes to overcome adversity, like the Vrabel scandal this offseason, which can detract from the task at hand.
“Everyone has to show that they are responsible during training camp. That they are responsible during the preseason. Once the regular season comes, you have to win, baby,” Gronkowski added.
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks with quarterback Drake Maye during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 19, 2025. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“If you win, it solves all your problems. It really does. It’s crazy how winning in the NFL, it really does and you’re ready to get there. You’ve got to win, baby.”
While Vrabel and his staff will remain in place for the 2026 season, the team will also return much of its roster that led them back to the Super Bowl. And quarterback Drake Maye has a new top wide receiver in the building, as a trade for AJ Brown was finally made to the Philadelphia Eagles to bring him north following the departure of Stefon Diggs.
Once again, this is easier said than done when it comes to winning in the NFL. “Any Sunday” is a phrase for a reason. But perhaps it’s even more crucial for the Patriots to continue doing it like they did in 2025 (New England going 14-3 to tie the conference’s best record) to quiet the inevitable noise that will begin in training camp next month.
QUALITY SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL FOR GRONK
It was in high school where Gronkowski realized how underrated the quality of sleep was for a budding athlete. He needed to take naps before every basketball game he played after school, and it was a habit that followed him throughout college and his professional football career.
After all, someone like Gronkowski, an animal on and off the field, needs to rest and recover well to continue like this all these years.
That’s why Gronkowski was excited to partner with functional wellness brand Ryde and help spread the word about how good their new two-ounce SLEEP wellness shot is for users looking to fall asleep faster at night while supporting quality sleep.
Ryde has launched its new SLEEP injection, designed to help users improve their sleep quality while waking up feeling refreshed for the day. Rob Gronkowski, the legendary NFL tight end, has partnered with the company to launch the new product. (Ryder)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
“It just fits my lifestyle,” Gronkowski said. “It’s a very organic opportunity that aligns with my daily goals. It’s about being balanced. It’s also about recovery, and that’s what this SLEEP shot does for me. You have to sleep if you want to recover, if you want to push yourself all day and you want to do it again the next day and the next day. You have to sleep well and that’s why Ryde SLEEP comes into play to help me recover.”
Between fan-favorite SLEEP and FOCUS shots, Gronkowski knows he’s putting natural ingredients into his body, emphasizing that it’s “all natural.” SLEEP uses melatonin, GABA, L-theanine, and chamomile to help users relax, and Gronkowski finds it perfect for his daily routine.
“This is the first time I’ve really talked about being a sleep advocate and I really believe in it,” he said. “I always took naps because I’m a big believer in sleep. If I sleep through the night, I don’t need to nap as much. That’s where Ryde SLEEP comes in. I can sleep through the night and be ready for the next day.”
