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An offseason scandal isn’t what a team fresh off a Super Bowl appearance needs as they try to build momentum into the next season, but that’s where the New England Patriots find themselves ahead of the 2026 campaign.
It doesn’t need to be detailed 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 though the Patriots are trying to gear up 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 dealing with outside noise, and as much as players say they’re not focused on it, ignoring it altogether is quite the challenge.
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Rob Gronkowski visits the Thursday Night Football on Prime set at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., ahead of an NFL game between the New York Jets and New England Patriots on Nov. 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. Through years of success in New England, he’s had to deal with rumored turmoil in the locker room, the Aaron Hernandez scandal and more.
“Gronk” is the perfect person to ask how his former team can deal with this type of cloud overhead to start a season, and he was quick to answer.
DRAKE MAYE VOICES SUPPORT FOR PATRIOTS COACH MIKE VRABEL AS OFF-FIELD CONTROVERSY CONTINUES TO SWIRL
“It’s as easy as this: win. You win,” he told Fox News Digital, while highlighting his partnership with Ryde and its launch of SLEEP, the brand’s newest functional wellbeing shot. “You come together as a team. You work together, you work your butt off.”
Is it as simple as winning? History has shown, especially up in Foxborough, that is the case. No matter what was happening off the field, in meeting rooms or in the locker room, winning cures all.
Winning shows a team is still getting the job done and has what it takes to overcome adversity such as Vrabel’s scandal this offseason, which can take away from the task at hand.
“Everyone has to show that they’re accountable during training camp. That they’re accountable during the preseason. Once the regular season comes, you gotta win baby,” Gronkowski added.
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks to 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 problems. It really does. It’s crazy how winning in the NFL, it truly does and you’re good to go there. You gotta win, baby.”
While Vrabel and his staff are staying in place for the 2026 season, the team is also returning much of their 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 A.J. Brown finally got done with the Philadelphia Eagles to bring him north following the departure of Stefon Diggs.
Again, it’s easier said than done when it comes to winning in the NFL. “Any given Sunday” is a phrase for a reason. But it’s perhaps even more crucial for the Patriots to keep doing so like they did in 2025 – New England going 14-3 to tie for the best record in the conference – to silence the inevitable noise that will begin in training camp next month.
QUALITY SLEEP IS A MUST FOR GRONK
It was back in high school where Gronkowski realized how underrated quality 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 into his professional football career.
After all, someone like Gronkowski, an animal on and off the field, needs to be well rested and recovered to keep at it all these years.
It’s why Gronkowski was excited to partner with Ryde, the functional well-being brand, and help preach how good their new, two-ounce SLEEP wellbeing shot is for users looking to fall asleep faster at night, while supporting sleep quality.
Ryde has launched it’s new SLEEP shot, designed to help users improve their quality of sleep while waking up feeling refreshed for the day. Rob Gronkowski, the legendary NFL tight end, has partnered with the company to pitch the new product. (Ryder)
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“It just fits my lifestyle,” Gronkowski said. “It’s a very organic opportunity that aligns with my daily goals. It’s all about being balanced. It’s all about the recovery as well, and that’s what this SLEEP shot does for me. You gotta get 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 next day. You gotta get your sleep and that’s why Ryde SLEEP comes into play to help me recover.”
Between the SLEEP and fan-favorite FOCUS shots, Gronkowski knows he’s putting natural ingredients in his body, emphasizing that he’s “all about natural.” SLEEP uses melatonin, GABA, L-theanine and chamomile to help users unwind, and Gronkowski finds it perfect for his daily routine.
“This is my first time really talking about being a sleep advocate and I truly believe in it,” he said. “I always took naps because I believe in sleep that much. If I get a full night’s sleep, I don’t need to really take naps as much. That’s where Ryde SLEEP comes into play. I can sleep through a whole night and be ready to go the next day.”
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