Key Patriots Like Brady, Gronkowski Are Miserable: Report

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Things are still not hunky dory between Patriots coach Bill Belichick and some key players, according to a report from NBC Sports Boston's Mike Giardi.

A source told the reporter that Belichick is making "planet players" like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski miserable and unappreciated. The new report is consistent with past stories that there is tension down at 1 Patriot Place between the coaches and the players.

The issue surrounding Brady's trainer and fitness guru Alex Guerrero is related to the misery. Seth Wickersham wrote in his January ESPN story that several players went to Guerrero before he was banned from Gillette Stadium. That relationship has apparently caused tension in the locker room: The Wickersham article noted that one player refused to do squats when asked by team staff because Guerrero told him not to. In "Tom vs. Time," the Facebook reality mini series featuring the star quarterback, Brady can be seen going up to a stadium suite to receive treatment from Guerrero but first trying to cover windows and hide the fact he was there.

In the final episode, Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen said her husband wants to feel appreciated and have fun at work, leading to speculation that the Patriots quarterback was not happy during the 2017 season.

Despite past insistence from the team that nothing is wrong, key players have departed and Gronkowski's status remains up in the air. Dion Lewis, Danny Amendola, Malcolm Butler, and Nate Solder all took big contacts outside of Foxborough. And Gronk is apparently flirting with retirement, though Girardi's source says he could still be back with a new contract.

With four important players gone and two potentially unhappy leaders, maybe it's time for everyone to get together and talk it out. Can't we all just get along?

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