Rob Gronkowski on hit from Earl Thomas: (He’s) like a missile

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was held somewhat in check against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night as Seattle won 31-24, gaining 56 yards on three catches. That’s in part due to the massive games had by Martellus Bennett (102 yards) and Julian Edelman (99 yards), but also some credit must be given to the job done by the Seahawks’ secondary, specifically safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.

Among those plays by Thomas was a hit on Gronk that left him stunned in the second quarter:

Seattle fans remained quiet for a couple seconds after the play, praying that no (incorrect) flags were thrown for unnecessary roughness, and the pass fell incomplete.

Gronkowski underwent concussion protocol and returned to the game for the second half, ultimately playing part in the final play as Chancellor covered him on 4th-and-goal to ensure the victory for the Seahawks. After the game, Gronkowski spoke very highly of Thomas, saying it was one of the hardest hits of his career and calling Earl a “missile.”

Thomas weighs about 60 pounds less than Gronkowski, but it certainly didn’t show there. He’s clearly made of some of the densest known material on our planet.