Gronkowski says Patriots did not consult him before giving No. 87 to Doubs

Rob Gronkowski said he was not consulted by the New England Patriots before the team assigned his iconic No. 87 to wide receiver Romeo Doubs. The former tight end, who wore the number during his Hall of Fame career with the franchise, addressed the situation during an appearance on the Up and Adams show. "I'm not the one who makes the decisions over there," Gronkowski said. "I wasn't consulted at all. But I'm cool with it." Gronkowski, who helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls, stated that he does not believe his number should be retired. He said the only number from the team's modern dynasty that deserves that honor is No. 12, worn by quarterback Tom Brady. "The only number that I truly believe should be retired in New England is the No. 12," Gronkowski said. "Tom set the standards. If you're not on that page, if you're not playing for 20 years, I don't think that any other number should be retired." The decision to issue No. 87 to Doubs has drawn criticism. Show host Kay Adams called it "a failure by the organization" and said Gronkowski is "the greatest tight end to play the game of football.