• Rob Gronkowski was suspended one game for committing unnecessary roughness on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White.
• During a play in the fourth quarter, Gronkowski came behind White and hit him in the back of the head with his shoulder and arm, placing White into concussion protocol.
• The NFL told Gronkowski that his place placed White "at risk of serious injury."

The NFL on Monday announced that New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will be suspended one game for a hit on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White in Week 13.

In the fourth quarter, after an interception on Tom Brady, White was face-down on the ground when Gronkowski came up behind him and jumped on him, shoving his shoulder and arm in the back of White's head. Gronkowski was flagged, but not ejected for the play, while White was helped off the field and placed in the concussion protocol.

Gronkowski apologized for the hit after the game, but several Bills players said the hit was "dirty" and did not have a place in the game. Cameras caught Bill Belichick telling Bills coach Sean McDermott after the game that Gronkowski's hit was "bull----."

In the NFL's letter to Gronkowski, Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan wrote, "Your actions were not incidental, could have been avoided and placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury."

The Patriots play the Dolphins in Week 14.

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• Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell is furious with the way the NFL has handled a recent string of player suspensions.
• Mitchell's teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster and the New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski received equal suspensions for decidedly different plays, with Smith-Schuster making a block in-game and Gronkowski diving onto a player's back after the whistle.
• In a passionate rant, Mitchell criticized the league, its leadership, and the media for their portrayal of him as a "dirty player."

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell voiced his displeasure with the NFL's inconsistency with regard to punishing players for hits.

His comments came in the wake of Week 13 during which numerous penalties and suspensions were handed out, including one to Mitchell's teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was suspended one game for his hit on Vontaze Burfict. Mitchell was displeased that Smith-Schuster's punishment for making what was ostensibly a football play was given an equal suspension to Rob Gronkowski, who dove at Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White after a play was dead and sent White into concussion protocol.

Mitchell's frustrations didn't stop there. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Mitchell delivered a long monologue on his problems with the league as it stands, from the overabundance of flags thrown to the leadership of the league and the player's union to criticism from television analysts.

You can see the video below.

"If you want to see flag football, then let's take our pads off. That would make it easier for me, because now I don't have to wear heavy s---. Give us flags for me to pull off so that way I know what we are playing," Mitchell said.

"I signed up to play full-speed, contact football, and we're not doing that. I feel like I've got to ask a guy, 'Hey, are you ready for me to hit you right now before I hit you?' That's crazy. I'm going to mess around and get hurt trying to protect an offensive player because he's running an over route. Dammit, your quarterback shouldn't have thrown the ball messed up."

Mitchell also discussed a fine he received two years ago for a hit on the Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert, claiming that the only reason the hit on Eifert was illegal was because he had to dive to catch a poorly thrown ball from quarterback Andy Dalton. Mitchell explained how he felt that both the punishment and the fallout from the media after the play was unfair to him.

"That's $50,000 out of my pocket because Andy [Dalton] throws a bad ball. Make that make sense," Mitchell said. "And at first you're taking our money but now I've got a--holes like Matt Hasselbeck calling me a dirty player and trying my character, and we've never met before. I donate more money to Cincinnati to underprivileged kids than probably the people on the Bengals. So don't give me that name."

After taking a breath and noting that he was a bit flustered, Mitchell finished his speech, refocusing on the inconsistencies of punishments and pushing for better negotiating on the part of the players heading into the next CBA.

"We can't have a guy where you just hand out discipline how you see fit. There needs to be a set guideline on how we do what we do. There's no way I see two people get post-play infractions that don't have to do with football and you get the same suspension as the guy who's making a football play in a football game. It's absolutely absurd."

You can watch Mitchell's comments below.

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• ESPN's Seth Wickersham wrote a bombshell report describing tensions among the New England Patriots' leadership.
• One example occurred when Julian Edelman went down with injury, and players who wanted to fill the gap reportedly faced a dilemma of choosing between working out with the Patriots' trainers or Tom Brady's health guru.
• Despite the struggle, the Patriots' offense suffered little on the field, with yet another dominant season that helped secure the top seed in the AFC.

The New England Patriots have been the most dominant franchise in American sports over the past two decades, but a report from ESPN's Seth Wickersham revealed that all might not be well with the Patriot Way, as a clash of egos has been ongoing among team leadership.

One of the central sources of this tension is the divide between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. That split reportedly caused some confusion among Patriots players as to where to train and how that could have been perceived as picking one side over the other.

Much of the trouble started when wide receiver Julian Edelman went down with a season-ending injury, leading to what Wickersham described as an "unspoken pressure" among Patriots players. While the "next man up" mantra that the Patriots have long touted still held, those looking to take the spot of Edelman were torn on what their best path would be if they wished to take over the role.

"[T]here was 'hypersensitivity' among players, in the words of a Patriots coach, over who would take his place. New players felt the surest way to earn Brady's trust was to join Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola and others by seeking advice from [Alex] Guerrero at his TB12 clinic -- and not team doctors, which Belichick preferred."

While Guerrero, the controversial trainer that runs the TB12 clinic and was recently banned from the Patriots sidelines, denied that any players were pressured to join the program, Wickersham's report makes clear that the choice of facilities left some players in an incalculable Catch-22.

"But according to multiple sources, players openly discussed with Patriots coaches, staff and trusted advisers whether to follow Brady or the team, leaving them trapped: Do we risk alienating the NFL's most powerful coach or risk alienating the NFL's most powerful quarterback?"

Still, the tensions didn't seem to affect the Patriots on the field performance all that much this season — New England finished the season 13-3 with the top seed in the AFC, and Brady had yet another MVP-caliber under center.

SEE ALSO: Bombshell report reveals a growing fracture among Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots — and it stems from Alex Guerrero, Brady's health guru

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After another wild weekend of football that exceeded all expectations, there's only four teams remaining and three games left until a Super Bowl champion is crowned.

Sadly, that means there's just three more games left for bettors to gamble on before the long offseason. But there's no time to fret about the offseason yet — there's still money to be made before we pack up our winnings and head home.

Last week we put about $1,000 hypothetical dollars on the line and ended up with a net loss of $100 after the miraculous Stefon Diggs touchdown gave the Vikings the win and covered our +4.5 on the Saints. A tough loss, but it was worth it for the fantastic reaction videos we got out of Minnesota fans awestruck by their victory. Even Case Keenum was surprised!

That said, because we were down last week and have so few games remaining to build up our bankroll, we're increasing the sizes of our hypothetical bets a bit today in an effort to walk with as much as possible after Super Bowl Sunday.

Below are our best bets for this weekend of NFL action. All lines come courtesy of the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+8.5) at New England Patriots (Sunday, 3:40 p.m. ET)

The bet: Jaguars +8.5 ($330 to win $300)

The logic: I'm a bit nervous about how many people are talking about how the Jaguars match up pretty well with the Patriots... but the Jaguars match up pretty well with the Patriots. It might already be too trendy a take to come to fruition, but I believe it, and I'd definitely prefer not to bet on the Patriots to make the Super Bowl again.

The Pats have shown that they will let strong teams stay in games throughout the season, and despite whatever Blake Bortles joke you want to make, the Jaguars are a strong team this year. They should be able to hold their own when the Pats go five-wide on third-and-six, and if they can pressure Brady and get him uncomfortable, the Jags have a shot to win outright.

Over/Under 28 points scored for Patriots

The bet: Under 28 points for the Patriots ($110 to win $100)

The logic: Despite allowing the Steelers to put up 42 points last weekend, the Jaguars' defense is still one of the strongest defensive units in the league, and with their elite corps of defensive backs, they feel specifically suited to be able to get stops on the Patriots when called upon.

Further, the Patriots have not quite been the offensive powerhouse that they've been in years past. While in flashes it has appeared that they're able to score at will, they only cleared 28 points in one of their final five regular season games. If the Jaguars can make a few stops in their own territory to turn touchdowns into field goals and field goals into punts, they can hold the Patriots to under 28.

Over/Under 69.5 yards receiving for Rob Gronkowski

The bet: Over 69.5 yards for Gronk ($110 to win $100)

The logic: Despite how much I like the Jaguars defense to match up against the Patriots receivers, Gronkowski is still a clear mismatch for Jacksonville that will take time to adjust to. Watch out for Gronk to be a constant target of Brady's when his other options are all clamped down in coverage.

• New England Patriots tight Rob Gronkowski took an ugly hit to the head by Jacksonville Jaguars safety Barry Church.
• Gronkowski looked out of sorts as he got up and was taken back to the locker room for tests.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was sent back to the locker room in the second quarter of the AFC Championship after an ugly head-to-head hit with Jacksonville Jaguars safety Barry Church.

Gronkowski was going for a deep catch on the right side of the field when Church came across from the middle, hitting Gronkowski in the head and drawing a penalty for unnecessary roughness.

Gronkowski stayed down on the ground for a bit, with CBS's Tony Romo noting that Gronkowski looked "wobbly" as he got up.

Here's the play:

Gronkowski was walked off the field by Patriots staff and immediately went back to the locker room.

Losing Gronkowski is obviously a tough blow for the Patriots, especially while playing the Jaguars' ferocious defense.

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• Rob Gronkowski wouldn't commit to his NFL future when asked about rumors of retirement after the Super Bowl.
• Gronkowski said he would take the offseason to consider his future.
• Gronkowski, at 28, has had a long history of injuries from back and knee injuries to concussions.

After the New England Patriots lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, Rob Gronkowski wouldn't commit to his NFL future.

In his postgame press conference, a reporter asked about rumors that Gronkowski would consider retirement.

Gronkowski said he wasn't sure where the rumors came from, but said he would take the offseason to examine his future.

"I'm definitely gonna look at my future, for sure," Gronkowski said. "I'm going to sit down the next couple weeks and see where I'm at."

Gronkowski also said he was not ready to fully discuss the rumors, saying again that he would take time to think about it in the offseason and that he would talk about his future with his teammates.

While Gronkowski is only 28 years old, he's had a long history of injuries, from back and knee injuries, to concussions, including one he sustained in the AFC Championship.

Gronkowski signed a new contract over the offseason that allowed him to make up to $10.7 million if he hit certain goals, like making the All-Pro team, which he did this season. In 2015, Gronkowski said he hadn't spent any of his NFL earnings, instead living solely off of endorsements.

If Gronkowski does decide to retire, it would be a major blow for the Patriots.

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• The home of Rob Gronkowski was robbed while he was in Minneapolis for the Super Bowl, according to the police.
• "Multiple safes and possibly guns," may have been among the items stolen.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Police say the home of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was robbed while he was away at the Super Bowl.

Foxborough Police Chief William Baker confirmed Tuesday morning that his department is investigating a burglary at Gronkowski's home.

He said officers responded to the home just after 6 p.m. Monday.

Baker said "out of respect for Mr. Gronkowski's privacy and because this is an active and dynamic criminal investigation we're not going to be releasing any information right now about what was stolen and whether any suspects exist."

But in a recording of call between responding officers and dispatch, a dispatcher says "multiple safes and possibly guns" were taken.

Gronkowski had nine catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots' 41-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

SEE ALSO: The 25 highest-paid players in NFL history

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• Last season, Rob Gronkowski began working with Tom Brady's health guru and trainer, Alex Guerrero.
• According to a report, Bill Belichick at one point ripped Gronkowski in front of teammates for working with Guerrero.
• Guerrero and his work with Brady were reportedly at the center of growing tension on the Patriots last season.
• The report speculated that Belichick might have been trying to dissuade other Patriots players from working with Guerrero.

Rising tensions on the New England Patriots last season may have been fueled by Bill Belichick expressing his displeasure with Rob Gronkowski's new health regimen.

According to Karen Guregian of The Boston Herald, at one point early last season, Belichick chewed out Gronkowski in front of Patriots players for using Tom Brady's health guru, Alex Guerrero, and following the "TB12 Method."

Gronkowski, who has battled injuries throughout his career, made news last season when he switched over to Brady and Guerrero's methods, even following a system for drinking alcohol. Gronkowski's new plan seemed to work, as he played 14 of 16 games.

Guregian reported that Belichick's criticism of Gronkowski might have been an attempt to dissuade other players from leaving the Patriots' medical staff to join Guerrero and Brady.

Last season, it was reported that Guerrero, who is also a business partner of Brady's, was at the center of growing tensions in the Patriots for his work with Brady. Players reportedly felt torn whether to work out with Guerrero at the TB12  in hopes of bonding with Brady or to work out with the Patriots' training staff. Belichick eventually limited Guerrero's access to the team in hopes of gaining more control, according to reports.

While that tension seemed to ease as the Patriots made a run to the Super Bowl, even team owner Robert Kraft — who also was reportedly at odds with Bill Belichick over some roster decisions— acknowledged that the Patriots had to put egos aside to get back on track.

Gronkowski, according to Guergian, is down about five pounds this offseason and still working with Guerrero. With questions over Gronkowski's future in the NFL already rising, news of Belichick's unhappiness with Gronkowski's work with Guerrero seems noteworthy.

As the Patriots prepare for the 2018 season, it seems as though the issue and some of the tension may not disappear entirely.

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• Rob Gronkowski will not join the Patriots for the start of the team's voluntary offseason workouts, and still has not decided whether or not he wants to continue playing. 
• Gronkowski has been considering retirement since at least before the Super Bowl. 
• Tom Brady will also miss the start of workouts as he is on a business trip in Qatar, and he looks unlikely to be joining the team anytime soon. 

As the New England Patriots voluntary offseason workouts begin today, a pair of big names will be absent, including star tight end Rob Gronkowski, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.

"Gronkowski still is considering whether to play the upcoming 2018 season and has had 'good communication' with the Patriots," Schefter writes. 

Rumors of Gronkowski retiring have been circulating since before the Super Bowl, where he said in a post-game press conference that he would be contemplating his future in the offseason. 

Gronkowski is one of the best players in the league and has been a vital piece of the Patriots offense for years, so if he did retire it would be a big blow for New England. He is still in his athletic prime at 28 years old but has dealt with many injuries throughout his career. 

Another notable absence from the workouts will be Tom Brady. Schefter writes, "Brady also is not expected to attend the start of the offseason program; he has been on a business trip to Qatar. In other years, Brady has been a regular participant at the team's offseason program, but he will miss at least the beginning this year." 

And it doesn't look like Brady will be joining the Patriots any time soon, per ESPN sports reporter Jeff Darlington.

Guerrero is Brady's controversial 'health guru' has worked with Gronkowski as well, and his relationship with the team's two offensive stars has reportedly been a source of significant tension within the organization, even leading Bill Belichick to criticize Gronkowski in front of other players. 

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• The New England Patriots' offseason has been messier than usual.
• The Patriots saw several of their big-name free agents leave in the offseason and then share some blunt opinions of their time with the team.
• The Patriots are also dealing with uncertainty around Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, as both players appear to be weighing their NFL futures and contract status.
• The team seems to be going through a transitional period, which, while not unusual, has occurred quicker than expected.

Almost as soon as the Super Bowl ended, after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots' offseason threatened to be more turbulent than ever.

In the immediate aftermath, there were questions about why cornerback Malcolm Butler didn't play, followed by bubbling rumors about Rob Gronkowski's future in the NFL.

Amid all of this was the impending free agency for several prominent players, Tom Brady's future as he turns 41, and the reported ongoing tension on the team between Brady, Bill Belichick, and the team owner Robert Kraft.

In the months since, there haven't been many signs that it's been a smooth, business-as-usual offseason for the Patriots.

The team was ravaged in free agency, as opponents threw big offers at some of their biggest-name players — they lost top offensive lineman Nate Solder, wide receiver Danny Amendola, running back Dion Lewis, Butler, and offensive tackle Cameron Fleming.

The Patriots signed players like defensive end Adrian Clayborn, running back Jeremy Hill, and offensive lineman Matt Tobin to replace some of those players, but the Patriots mostly lost more talent than they acquired.

Perhaps more concerning were some of the comments made by departed Patriots players.

Amendola told ESPN that playing for Belichick was challenging, calling him an "a--h---" at times, but also rewarding.

"It's not easy, that's for sure," Amendola said. "He's an a--h--- sometimes. There were a lot of things I didn't like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn't like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him. I didn't like practicing in the snow, I didn't like practicing in the rain, but that was going to make us a better football team, and that was going to make me a better football player."

Solder wrote in The Players' Tribune that the atmosphere could be tense, but, like Amendola, it's part of the reason for their success.

"It can be a tough environment. It's very businesslike, and at times it can be cold. Everything in New England is predicated on performance. It's a place where people sometimes treat you differently based on how you practiced that day or how you answered a question in a meeting. One day, you could walk around the facility feeling like a Pro Bowler — the next, like you're about to get cut."

Amendola and Lewis both said the contract offers they received from the Patriots were not in line with what others offered, and they didn't feel particularly wanted.

Butler said he never received an explanation for why he was benched in the Super Bowl, almost ensuring he would be on a different team next season.

While the Patriots' contract offers would seem to reflect how badly they wanted those players to return, it's also difficult to replace so many key pieces in one offseason, no matter how talented a team may be at scouting and drafting.

Brady and Gronkowski's futures are in the air.

There's even drama with players who are on the roster — for now.

Rob Gronkowski is skipping voluntary team workouts, and while most expect him to play this season, he hasn't committed to his future. Several reports have suggested that Gronkowski may be angling for a bigger contract.

Brady also hasn't committed to playing in 2018, though like Gronkowski, the Patriots reportedly think he will play. 

However, questions about both players' relationship with Bill Belichick continue to surface.

NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran reported that Brady is leading a revolt against Belichick's style. He elaborated on the "PFT PM" podcast that much of Brady's current lifestyle and attitude runs counter to Belichick's, threatening one of the sport's all-time greatest coach-player duos.

The Boston Herald reported this offseason that Belichick chastised Gronkowski in front of other players last season for using Brady's trainer and business partner Alex Guerrero. Guerrero has reportedly been a source of tension on the Patriots.

If Brady does return this season — again, most expectations are that he will — the Patriots may need to begin considering their long-term relationship with Brady. Gotham Chopra, the director and producer of the "Tom vs. Time" docuseries, told Sports Illustrated's Peter King that he doesn't think Brady will play 4-5 more years, as he had suggested.

In that event, the Patriots may look at drafting a quarterback this season, and they have the draft capital to move up to get a top QB thanks to the Jimmy Garoppolo and Brandin Cooks (another offseason departure) trades. The Patriots could also look to draft a top offensive lineman if they move up, or perhaps they'd rather keep their four picks in the first two rounds to replenish their depth after losing so many key players.

All dynasties come to an end, and it should hardly be surprising given Brady's age, and the length of the Patriots run that the team seems to be experiencing some setbacks. But the murmurs of discontent and roster turnover, so quickly after the Patriots were heavy Super Bowl favorites, are nonetheless eyebrow-raising.

The Patriots could have several more runs in them, and no team in football has been better at adjusting on the fly, but things seem to be changing right before our eyes.

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• Rob Gronkowski recently announced he would return to the New England Patriots this year, ending rumors of his retirement.
• In a video, Gronkowski said he was feeling "super, super pliable" and called it a "game-changer," a comment that could be seen as a shot at coach Bill Belichick.
  
• "Pliability" is at the core of Tom Brady's TB12 training method and work with Alex Guerrero, Brady's trainer who is said to be a source of tension between Belichick and the rest of the team.

Rob Gronkowski recently announced he would return to the New England Patriots this year.

Gronkowski, whose future had been up in the air as rumors swirled about his retirement, recorded a video with the sports news outlet Uninterrupted to announce his decision — and it included an eyebrow-raising quip.

"I feel great. I've been working out hard," Gronkowski said. "And I feel super, super pliable, and it's huge. It's a game-changer."

"Pliability" is at the core of Tom Brady's TB12 training method and his work with his trainer Alex Guerrero.

While that alone is nothing controversial, Brady's work with Guerrero is said to be a contentious presence with the Patriots.

He was reportedly at the center of tension on team last season, and coach Bill Belichick eventually revoked some of his access to the team, saying players felt unsure about whether to work with Brady and Guerrero or Patriots staff.

Additionally, Belichick at one point chastised Gronkowski in front of the team for working with Guerrero, the Boston Herald reported.

The Herald reported last summer that Gronkowski had taken up the TB12 training method and said it made him feel great.

It's fair to wonder whether Gronkowski's quip in the video was a small jab at Belichick. ESPN's Mike Reiss reported that a meeting this week "reopened lines of communication that had been cut off to this point" between the tight end and the head coach.

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• Justify won the Belmont Stakes to become the 13th Triple Crown winner and the second in four years.
• Gronkowski, named after Rob Gronkowski, finished second.

NEW YORK (AP) — Justify led all the way to win the Belmont Stakes by 1¾ lengths on Saturday and become horse racing's 13th Triple Crown champion and second in four years.

The chestnut colt became the second undefeated horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, improving to 6-0 in a racing career that began on Feb. 18. Seattle Slew was unbeaten when he won the Triple Crown in 1977.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Justify went to the lead out of the starting gate and led nine rivals around the track's sweeping turns. He's the first Triple Crown winner to face that many rivals in the 1½-mile Belmont.

Bob Baffert became the second trainer to win the Triple Crown twice. He did so with American Pharoah in 2015, ending a 37-year drought.

At 52, Mike Smith is the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown.

Justify ran the longest race of the series in 2:28.18 and paid $3.60, $3.50 and $2.80.

Baffert had fretted after Justify drew the No. 1 post, a spot he detests for his horses. But Smith turned it into an advantage, gunning Justify to the lead and defying any horse to challenge. Restoring Hope, also trained by Baffert, ran interference for the champion while traveling second and deterring any threats by forcing them to go extremely wide. Nobody did.

Smith got the big colt into a relaxed rhythm under a moderate pace heading into the backstretch, and he had an easy trip from there.

There were mild bids turning for home. Vino Rosso made the most serious move to get within a length but never threatened. Justify pulled away down the 1,097-yard stretch in front of a grandstand packed with screaming fans with only 24-1 shot Gronkowski picking up the chase down the lane.

Gronkowski, named for and partly owned by the New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, returned $13.80 and $7.

Hofburg paid $3.70 to show.

___

For more Belmont coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/Horseracing

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The New England Patriots and Rob Gronkowski have agreed to a restructured contract that could make him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL, according to reports.

Gronkowski is set to make $5.25 million this season, but could make up to $10.75 million, passing Seattle's Jimmy Graham, if he hits certain goals.

However, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, some of the goals are quite lofty. Schefter broke down the tiers of a contract raise on his Facebook page.

"‪1st tier, which gets him to $10.75M either 90 percent play time or 80 catches or 1200 receiving yards or All Pro -- and he's made all pro four times.‬

‪"2nd tier to $8.75M: he has to get 80 percent play time or 70 catches or 1000 receiving yards or 12 Tds.‬

‪"3rd tier takes him to $6.75M is 70 percent playtime, 60 receptions, 800 receiving yards or 10 TDs.‬"

The lower tiers shouldn't be much of a problem for Gronkowski, but if he wants to become the highest-paid tight end, he's going to need to overcome his biggest weakness — health. Gronkowski has played all 16 games just twice in his seven-year career and 15 games or more four total. Gronkowski missed the last eight games of the regular season and all of the playoffs with a back injury in 2016.

If healthy, Gronkowski should be able to play 90% of snaps and make All-Pro, which would get him into the first tier. The counting stats may be tough, however. Gronkowski has only totaled 8o or more catches — 90 in 2011 and 82 in 2014. He's only topped 1,200 yards once with 1,327 yards in 2011. It's worth noting that he played 16 games in 2011 and 15 in 2015.

Gronkowski is Tom Brady's favorite weapon, but with the Patriots' stacked offense, including new wide receiver addition Brandin Cooks, Gronkowski could potentially see fewer targets.

He shouldn't have a problem hitting the lower tiers and still earning a raise, but if he wants to become the highest-paid tight end in the league, his chances will undoubtedly come down to health. 

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On Thursday David Ortiz hosted a roast of himself in order to raise money for his charity, the David Ortiz Children's Fund, which does work to help children in both New England and the Dominican Republic gain access to vital pediatric services.

The roast was scheduled to be broadcast later on local sports network NESN, but was later pulled from the schedule due to the offensive nature of many of the jokes made at the expense of those on the dais, according to the Boston Globe.

Those onstage with Ortiz included comedians Bill Burr, Sarah Tiana, and Lenny Clarke, actor Anthony Mackie, and fellow Boston athletic royalty Dustin Pedroia and Rob Gronkowski. The jokes don't read well, but as far as roasts go most of them are what you might expect — crossing lines but with everyone on stage appearing to laugh together at each other, knowing their turn will come. If this were originally scheduled to air on Comedy Central, it's easy to imagine the show going on with a few well-placed bleeps.

That said, there are definitely lines crossed that some would not be able to forgive, and don't belong on local television networks by any measure — notably a joke made about former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez who committed suicide in prison earlier this year. This, along with other jokes made at the roast, left much of the audience groaning, according to the Boston Globe.

While the audience had been warned by ESPN's Jonathan Coachman that some jokes would be rough, there were still a few moments that left people more nervous with the comedy than delighted by it. Gronk delivered a few clunkers extremely poorly, including a "Jewish/quarterback" pun that was particularly cringe-worthy, and a "third base" line reeking of sexism and slut-shaming that definitely made him laugh harder than anyone else in the room.

Other jokes skewed closer to what you might expect from a roast of these sorts, with Bill Burr calling fellow Boston-based comedian Lenny Clarke, "A Boston institution — like gout and racism." Burr also got in a solid burn on Ortiz, with the Boston.com reporting him saying, "I can't believe they're retiring this guy’s number. He's a [expletive] DH. Retiring a DH's number is like putting a vice president on Mount Rushmore."

Dustin Pedroia got some of the most well-earned laughs of the night, recounting stories of his playing days with Ortiz, including an adorable and extremely believable anecdote about Ortiz not knowing his name even after close to a decade of baseball together.

While the show won't make it to air, you can watch Gronk and Pedroia's sets as recorded by Boston.com below and judge their content for yourself, and if you feel so inclined, donate to the David Ortiz Children's Fund.

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After missing the last five games of the 2016 regular season and all of the New England Patriots' postseason run, Rob Gronkowski is focused on staying on the field in 2017.

To help his cause, he turned to the man who's defined longevity on the football field — Tom Brady.

According to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, Gronkowski has been working with Brady and his trainer Alex Guerrero this offseason to improve his diet and incorporate more stretching into his workouts.

Guerrero, as noted by Guregian, has been the subject of some controversy — he was investigated by the Federal Trade Commission, sued by the federal government, and banned by the FTC from selling certain products. Chris Sweeney of Boston Magazine once called him a "snake oil" salesman. Still, Gronk, like many other Patriots has bought into his practices.

Gronkowski said of his new plan: "I wanted to find a way to make me feel good all the time and not worry. Coming here has definitely put me in that right direction ... I’m getting massage therapy, I’m learning about hydration, I’m learning about nutrition. It’s helping me expand my game."

Brady has even been involved, according to Guregian. Once a day, Brady cooks Gronkowski one of his favorite plant-based meals.

"Tom’s my chef," Gronkowski said. "I told him I’m only eating them if you have them ready for me. And he said, 'Deal.'"

However, Gronkowski hasn't fully bought in. He isn't eating avocado ice cream yet, and there is reportedly a protocol if he breaks the rules and has off-limit beverages like alcohol or coffee. According to Guregian, for every drink Gronkowski consumes that's not on the diet plan, he has to have three glasses of water to make up for it. It's not a tough punishment so much as a laborious one — Gronk's Super Bowl parade performance would have resulted in a lot of glasses of water.

Gronkowski is reportedly 12 weeks into the program and says he can already feel the effects. He told reporters, "I feel looser. I feel my mobility has increased a lot. I feel way more pliable."

For as often as Gronkowski has wowed on the field, he's also had to spend time off of it dealing with injuries. If Brady and Guerrero's methods work on one of the most oft-injured stars in the league, the benefits may be hard to deny.

SEE ALSO: Aaron Rodgers is structuring his life like Tom Brady in order to play football into his 40s

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• The New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski on Sunday dove onto Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White, hitting White in the back of the head while White was lying on the ground.
• White was helped off the field and sent into concussion protocol.
• Several Bills players and members of the media called Gronkowski's hit "dirty," while Patriots coach Bill Belichick said it was "bulls---."

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was widely criticized around the NFL world for a late hit on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White that the Bills called "dirty."

In the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, White intercepted a pass from Tom Brady. While lying face-down on the sideline, Gronkowski came up from behind White and dove onto him, sending his forearm and shoulder into the back of White's head.

White was helped off the field by an assistant and placed in the concussion protocol.

Here's the hit: 

After the game, Bills safety Micah Hyde said he thought Gronkowski should have been ejected.

"That's a dirty play, man," Hyde said. "That's not cool. It's amazing to me that you don't get ejected for something like that. It's crazy. He obviously saw him on the ground. It's like a wrestling move. I don't know — elbow, shoulder — I don't know what it was. I saw on the replay it was just a dirty play, man. That's something the NFL talks about all the time about not wanting."

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he was "not happy" about the play, adding that such plays have no place in the NFL. Several other Bills players expressed similar sentiments.

While Patriots coach Bill Belichick said after the game that he didn't see much of the play that it wasn't something he could control, cameras caught him telling McDermott immediately after the game that Gronkowski's hit was "bulls---" and apologizing.

Gronkowski also apologized after the game and said he was frustrated by the officiating.

Several others in the NFL world also chastised Gronkowski for the play.

Dean Blandino, a former NFL vice president of officiating, said on Fox that he thought Gronkowski should have been ejected.

Whether Gronkowski will be punished remains to be seen, but his hit on White is almost exactly what the NFL is trying to avoid: hits to the head on defenseless players. If White has a concussion, it may strengthen the case for Gronkowski to be suspended.

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• Rob Gronkowski was suspended one game for committing unnecessary roughness on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White.
• During a play in the fourth quarter, Gronkowski came behind White and hit him in the back of the head with his shoulder and arm, placing White into concussion protocol.
• The NFL told Gronkowski that his place placed White "at risk of serious injury."

The NFL on Monday announced that New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will be suspended one game for a hit on Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White in Week 13.

In the fourth quarter, after an interception on Tom Brady, White was face-down on the ground when Gronkowski came up behind him and jumped on him, shoving his shoulder and arm in the back of White's head. Gronkowski was flagged, but not ejected for the play, while White was helped off the field and placed in the concussion protocol.

Gronkowski apologized for the hit after the game, but several Bills players said the hit was "dirty" and did not have a place in the game. Cameras caught Bill Belichick telling Bills coach Sean McDermott after the game that Gronkowski's hit was "bull----."

In the NFL's letter to Gronkowski, Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan wrote, "Your actions were not incidental, could have been avoided and placed the opposing player at risk of serious injury."

The Patriots play the Dolphins in Week 14.

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• Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell is furious with the way the NFL has handled a recent string of player suspensions.
• Mitchell's teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster and the New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski received equal suspensions for decidedly different plays, with Smith-Schuster making a block in-game and Gronkowski diving onto a player's back after the whistle.
• In a passionate rant, Mitchell criticized the league, its leadership, and the media for their portrayal of him as a "dirty player."

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell voiced his displeasure with the NFL's inconsistency with regard to punishing players for hits.

His comments came in the wake of Week 13 during which numerous penalties and suspensions were handed out, including one to Mitchell's teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was suspended one game for his hit on Vontaze Burfict. Mitchell was displeased that Smith-Schuster's punishment for making what was ostensibly a football play was given an equal suspension to Rob Gronkowski, who dove at Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White after a play was dead and sent White into concussion protocol.

Mitchell's frustrations didn't stop there. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Mitchell delivered a long monologue on his problems with the league as it stands, from the overabundance of flags thrown to the leadership of the league and the player's union to criticism from television analysts.

You can see the video below.

"If you want to see flag football, then let's take our pads off. That would make it easier for me, because now I don't have to wear heavy s---. Give us flags for me to pull off so that way I know what we are playing," Mitchell said.

"I signed up to play full-speed, contact football, and we're not doing that. I feel like I've got to ask a guy, 'Hey, are you ready for me to hit you right now before I hit you?' That's crazy. I'm going to mess around and get hurt trying to protect an offensive player because he's running an over route. Dammit, your quarterback shouldn't have thrown the ball messed up."

Mitchell also discussed a fine he received two years ago for a hit on the Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert, claiming that the only reason the hit on Eifert was illegal was because he had to dive to catch a poorly thrown ball from quarterback Andy Dalton. Mitchell explained how he felt that both the punishment and the fallout from the media after the play was unfair to him.

"That's $50,000 out of my pocket because Andy [Dalton] throws a bad ball. Make that make sense," Mitchell said. "And at first you're taking our money but now I've got a--holes like Matt Hasselbeck calling me a dirty player and trying my character, and we've never met before. I donate more money to Cincinnati to underprivileged kids than probably the people on the Bengals. So don't give me that name."

After taking a breath and noting that he was a bit flustered, Mitchell finished his speech, refocusing on the inconsistencies of punishments and pushing for better negotiating on the part of the players heading into the next CBA.

"We can't have a guy where you just hand out discipline how you see fit. There needs to be a set guideline on how we do what we do. There's no way I see two people get post-play infractions that don't have to do with football and you get the same suspension as the guy who's making a football play in a football game. It's absolutely absurd."

You can watch Mitchell's comments below.

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• ESPN's Seth Wickersham wrote a bombshell report describing tensions among the New England Patriots' leadership.
• One example occurred when Julian Edelman went down with injury, and players who wanted to fill the gap reportedly faced a dilemma of choosing between working out with the Patriots' trainers or Tom Brady's health guru.
• Despite the struggle, the Patriots' offense suffered little on the field, with yet another dominant season that helped secure the top seed in the AFC.

The New England Patriots have been the most dominant franchise in American sports over the past two decades, but a report from ESPN's Seth Wickersham revealed that all might not be well with the Patriot Way, as a clash of egos has been ongoing among team leadership.

One of the central sources of this tension is the divide between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. That split reportedly caused some confusion among Patriots players as to where to train and how that could have been perceived as picking one side over the other.

Much of the trouble started when wide receiver Julian Edelman went down with a season-ending injury, leading to what Wickersham described as an "unspoken pressure" among Patriots players. While the "next man up" mantra that the Patriots have long touted still held, those looking to take the spot of Edelman were torn on what their best path would be if they wished to take over the role.

"[T]here was 'hypersensitivity' among players, in the words of a Patriots coach, over who would take his place. New players felt the surest way to earn Brady's trust was to join Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola and others by seeking advice from [Alex] Guerrero at his TB12 clinic -- and not team doctors, which Belichick preferred."

While Guerrero, the controversial trainer that runs the TB12 clinic and was recently banned from the Patriots sidelines, denied that any players were pressured to join the program, Wickersham's report makes clear that the choice of facilities left some players in an incalculable Catch-22.

"But according to multiple sources, players openly discussed with Patriots coaches, staff and trusted advisers whether to follow Brady or the team, leaving them trapped: Do we risk alienating the NFL's most powerful coach or risk alienating the NFL's most powerful quarterback?"

Still, the tensions didn't seem to affect the Patriots on the field performance all that much this season — New England finished the season 13-3 with the top seed in the AFC, and Brady had yet another MVP-caliber under center.

SEE ALSO: Bombshell report reveals a growing fracture among Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots — and it stems from Alex Guerrero, Brady's health guru

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After another wild weekend of football that exceeded all expectations, there's only four teams remaining and three games left until a Super Bowl champion is crowned.

Sadly, that means there's just three more games left for bettors to gamble on before the long offseason. But there's no time to fret about the offseason yet — there's still money to be made before we pack up our winnings and head home.

Last week we put about $1,000 hypothetical dollars on the line and ended up with a net loss of $100 after the miraculous Stefon Diggs touchdown gave the Vikings the win and covered our +4.5 on the Saints. A tough loss, but it was worth it for the fantastic reaction videos we got out of Minnesota fans awestruck by their victory. Even Case Keenum was surprised!

That said, because we were down last week and have so few games remaining to build up our bankroll, we're increasing the sizes of our hypothetical bets a bit today in an effort to walk with as much as possible after Super Bowl Sunday.

Below are our best bets for this weekend of NFL action. All lines come courtesy of the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+8.5) at New England Patriots (Sunday, 3:40 p.m. ET)

The bet: Jaguars +8.5 ($330 to win $300)

The logic: I'm a bit nervous about how many people are talking about how the Jaguars match up pretty well with the Patriots... but the Jaguars match up pretty well with the Patriots. It might already be too trendy a take to come to fruition, but I believe it, and I'd definitely prefer not to bet on the Patriots to make the Super Bowl again.

The Pats have shown that they will let strong teams stay in games throughout the season, and despite whatever Blake Bortles joke you want to make, the Jaguars are a strong team this year. They should be able to hold their own when the Pats go five-wide on third-and-six, and if they can pressure Brady and get him uncomfortable, the Jags have a shot to win outright.

Over/Under 28 points scored for Patriots

The bet: Under 28 points for the Patriots ($110 to win $100)

The logic: Despite allowing the Steelers to put up 42 points last weekend, the Jaguars' defense is still one of the strongest defensive units in the league, and with their elite corps of defensive backs, they feel specifically suited to be able to get stops on the Patriots when called upon.

Further, the Patriots have not quite been the offensive powerhouse that they've been in years past. While in flashes it has appeared that they're able to score at will, they only cleared 28 points in one of their final five regular season games. If the Jaguars can make a few stops in their own territory to turn touchdowns into field goals and field goals into punts, they can hold the Patriots to under 28.

Over/Under 69.5 yards receiving for Rob Gronkowski

The bet: Over 69.5 yards for Gronk ($110 to win $100)

The logic: Despite how much I like the Jaguars defense to match up against the Patriots receivers, Gronkowski is still a clear mismatch for Jacksonville that will take time to adjust to. Watch out for Gronk to be a constant target of Brady's when his other options are all clamped down in coverage.