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An offseason scandal isn’t what a team fresh off a Super Bowl appearance needs to try 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 even as the Patriots try to prepare for a grueling training camp, heading into a season as defending AFC champions, the questions, columns, talk shows and more will likely continue.
Dealing with outside noise is never easy, and even though players say they don’t focus on it, completely ignoring it is quite a challenge.
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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 outside noise from reporters and fans. Over the years of success in New England, he had to deal with rumors of locker room trouble, the Aaron Hernandez scandal and more.
“Gronk” is the perfect person to ask how his former team can handle these types of clouds to start a season, and he was quick to respond.
DRAKE MAYE expresses support for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel as off-field controversy continues to swirl
“It’s as simple as that: Win. You win,” he told PK Press Club Digital, while highlighting his partnership with Ryde and the launch of SLEEP, the brand’s latest functional wellness product. “You’re a team. You work together, you work hard.”
Is it as simple as winning? History has shown, particularly in Foxborough, that this is the case. No matter what was happening off the field, in the meeting rooms or in the locker room, winning is the panacea.
A win shows that a team is still doing its job and has what it takes to overcome adversities such as the Vrabel scandal this offseason, which can detract from the task at hand.
“Everybody has to show that they’re responsible during training camp. That they’re 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 October 19, 2025. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“If you win, that solves all the problems. It really does. It’s crazy how winning in the NFL, it really does and you’re ready to go. You gotta win, baby.”
While Vrabel and his staff remain in place for the 2026 season, the team also returns much of its roster that got them back to the Super Bowl. And quarterback Drake Maye has a new top receiver in the building, as a trade for AJ Brown was finally completed with the Philadelphia Eagles to bring him north following the departure of Stefon Diggs.
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 even more crucial is for the Patriots to continue doing as they have in 2025 — New England going 14-3 to tie the conference’s best record — to silence the inevitable noise that begins in training camp next month.
QUALITY SLEEP IS A MUST FOR GRONK
It was in high school that Gronkowski realized how underrated sleep quality was for an aspiring athlete. He needed to take a nap before every basketball game he played after school, and it was a habit that followed him throughout his college and professional football career.
After all, someone like Gronkowski, an animal on and off the field, needs to be well rested and recovered to keep going all these years.
That’s why Gronkowski was excited to partner with functional wellness brand Ryde and help preach how good their new two-ounce SLEEP wellness shot is for users looking to fall asleep faster at night, while also promoting sleep quality.
Ryde has launched its new SLEEP shot, designed to help users improve their sleep quality while waking up refreshed for the day. Rob Gronkowski, the legendary NFL tight end, teamed up with the company to introduce the new product. (Ryder)
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“It just fits my lifestyle,” Gronkowski said. “It’s a very organic opportunity that fits my daily goals. It’s all 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 go hard all day, and you want to do it again the next day and the day after that. You have to sleep and that’s why Ryde SLEEP comes in 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 her 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’ve always taken naps because I’m a big believer in sleep. If I get a full night’s sleep, I don’t need to take as many naps. That’s where Ryde SLEEP comes in. I can sleep a full night and be ready to go the next day.”
