Rob Gronkowski sets career mark with 162 yards, takes blame for foul

ByMIKE REISS
October 17, 2016, 11:00 AM

— -- FOXBOROUGH, Mass -- It was a day of fireworks for tight end Rob Gronkowski in the  New England Patriots' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday -- first by totaling a career-high 162 receiving yards and then by drawing a sharp reaction from the Bengals while picking up a taunting penalty in the fourth quarter.

"Things get a little heated," Gronkowski said of the penalty, which came after a 12-yard catch over the middle with 8:14 remaining in the fourth quarter of the 35-17 win. "It was really nothing even said. I was just bobbing my head, I think, and they gave me a personal foul."

Gronkowski had turned toward the Cincinnati bench while bobbing his head. On the play before that, after he made a 29-yard catch while delivering a blow to Bengals cornerback Adam Jones on his run after the catch, Gronkowski had butted helmets with Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict as emotions started to rise.

Burfict seemed to be responding to Gronkowski looking back in Jones' direction as Jones was lying on the ground in pain.

Referee Ron Torbert's crew did not throw a penalty on that play, which helped set the stage for what happened next.

"I have to take full responsibility on that personal foul; can't be letting that happen," Gronkowski said. "It's a good thing it didn't hurt the team in this situation. We still got the win. But down the road, it can always hurt the team, getting a personal foul. I definitely have to be more aware of that."

Asked if he felt the Bengals were attempting to bait him into a second penalty in hopes of having him ejected as part of the NFL's new 2016 rule, Gronkowski said, "No. I don't know. They do that every game. If you watch film, they're always baiting everyone to do that. They're a tough, physical team. They're big and they hit hard. I feel like that's the style they play. I kind of gave into it when I got my penalty, and got to watch out for that. But after that, I just had to stay away."

That included doing a "disco dance" on the team's final touchdown -- a 1-yard run by LeGarrette Blount with 57 seconds remaining.

"I let everyone else celebrate. I was just clapping so I didn't get a penalty," he said.