Id still take Gronk, the man puts his team in a position to be able to make a run for a SB every year. If Gronk were on the Cowboys they would be as well. He is a huge target with amazing hands, finds open space on the field, creates space for receivers to run routes, his YAC is insane, he can go beast mode on any given play, he makes big plays. Without Gronk the Pats are an average team, with him they are one of the top teams.
Witten has had a fantastic career, his ability to suit up and perform throughout his career is amazing. He is a class act and works his tail off. My father was incredibly pissed off when the Eagles took LJ Smith over him in the draft, and has never let it go, could have been a total game changer and won the Eagles a Super Bowl or two.
As for your comparison to Bo Jackson & co. Thats fair, just make sure you catch as much of him as possible while he is still playing because its going to be a while before you see another talent like him. I can imagine a lot of players that have to deal with injuries retiring younger and younger like Marshawn Lynch (good for them, get paid, and leave while your still relatively healthy)
I get your point. If Gronk retired today heād have scored more touchdowns than Witten. Think about what youāre saying regarding ārisk of not suitingā up and the amount of games Gronk has played vs. Witten and then say the previous sentence I wrote again outloud.
So really it comes down to risk/reward. Wittenās risk free rate is great and all but would any NFL coach, scout, GM, etc. not roll the dice with the guy who can single handedly win you a game just by being on the field? Youād have a hard time convincing me of that.
Gronk aināt going another 11 seasons so he better start playing better. Friggin scrub.
(Still so sad those last two catches he made in the AFCCG will get lost in history. The one bomb down the seam on 4th and 10 with two guys draped all over him was absurd. Aghhhh.)
We all know AFās own Greenie can only be biased when he talks about āAmericaās teamā. From āTony Romo is the greatest QB to never win a SBā to āIād rather have Witten than Gronkā and many other gems in between, there is one thing that I have to give credit to the Cowboys. Jerry Jones. Not for his GM skills (I can honestly do a better job), but for being the most powerful man in the NFL. This guy is more powerful than Roger Goodell. Want proof? Look into how he single handedly convinced every owner to move the Rams to LA instead of the Chargers and Raiders.
Oh, Iāll freely admit to being biased. The Romo thing was a bit of hyperbole, but I still stand by the claim that Witten has had a better career thank Gronk. That may not be true in five more years, but itās true today.
And as much as I dislike the man, I agree about Mr. jones. Heās probably the best thing to happen to the Cowboys since Tom Landry.
I guess that depends on how you define career. Personally Iād rather have more touchdowns and a Super Bowl ring. Witten hasnāt even scored in a playoff game!
Witten has been very good over a longer continuous period of time. So he wins (for now) b/c heās older?? Gronk wins in all other comparisons (at the present), and will easily be ahead of Witten at the end of his career (Witten is already at the end of his). As mentioned above, Gonzo is the current GOAT, Witten has no chance at even entering that discussion, and Gronk may wind up in that category if he can stay on the field for another 5-7 years.
Pop quiz - There are 13 players who have 1,000+ receptions. Witten and Gonzo are the two tight ends. Can you name the 11 wide receivers? (Hintāone of them is Jerry Rice.)
Thatās a shockingly easier list to get than I anticipated, at least in terms of knowing players that were all active when I started watching football inā¦ the '93-'94 range. I still blew it. Randy Moss came up just short. Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne shocked me.
I am sure every GM in the league would laugh you out of the room for that choice. Witten is a great player, a real contributor. Gronk is a game changer. As long as he is healthy they will have a shot at a super bowl, you cant say the same for Witten.
Yea, the Cowboys dont have a shot either way. Thats how little difference Witten makes. If you swap Witten for Gronk, the Cowboys will instantly become a top team in the NFC, the Pats instantly become a middle of the pack team. Hes that important.
