Patriots 'Are the Real Deal' Atop the AFC, Says Rob Gronkowski

All eyes are on the New England Patriots this weekend, as they could become the first 10-win team of the 2025 NFL season when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday (1 p.m. ET).

Two of the franchise's biggest stars, former players Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, broke down how they feel about their former team's performance so far this season and what to expect next on "FOX NFL Sunday."

Gronkowski, who was just recently in attendance for the Patriots' Week 11 win over the New York Jets at home in Massachusetts last week, believes that there's something special happening with the Patriots this season.

"There's a lot of energy right now in Foxborough," Gronkowski said. "It was so great to be back, and you felt that type of energy even on a Thursday night game with a short week. Are the Patriots the best team in the AFC? I think so because they know how to be coached, and they know how to take that coaching and apply it to the field as well. 

"They have an offense and a defense that knows how to work together. They play complementary football out there all the time, and they learn from their mistakes. … The Patriots, they're the real deal."

New England (9-2) sits atop the AFC East and is tied with AFC West-leading Denver for the best record in the division.

"I think it's too early in the season to just go out and determine [who] is the best team in the AFC," Edelman countered. "We don't know too much about this team in these later parts of the season, which is the most important part. 

"… I'm not turning on New England, but I'm just not trying to put the jinx on them. … We need to go out, we need to learn. We need to get better."

Ahead of Week 12, the Patriots rank second in total passing yards (2,685), third in total offensive yards (3,927), seventh in passing yards per game (244.1) and points per game (26.5) and ninth in offensive yards per game (357.0). Quarterback Drake Maye's 2,836 passing yards lead the league and his 20 touchdowns are the fourth-most among signal-callers, while his four interceptions on the season are tied for 59th.

New England started the season on a rocky note, dropping two of its first three games. Gronkowski went on to add that this would've been the opportune window for other AFC East teams to capitalize while the Patriots were down. 

"Bye bye, Buffalo," he said. The Bills, who sit behind the Patriots in the division at 7-4, are a prime example of this. They started the season strong but fell into a rut in early October just as the Patriots were getting their groove back.

Gronkowski, a 12-year NFL veteran who officially retired in 2022, revealed earlier this month that he was signing a one-day contract with the New England "to retire as a Patriot and be a Patriot for life."

A second-round draft pick by New England in 2010, Gronkowski played for the Pats from 2010-18, winning three Super Bowls with the franchise and cementing himself as one of the NFL's all-time greatest tight ends. After a year of retirement, he continued his playing career with the Bucs from 2020-21, reuniting with future Hall of Fame quarterback and good friend Tom Brady and winning Super Bowl LV. 

Edelman, also a 12-year NFL veteran, was a seventh-round draft pick by New England in 2009. He played for the Pats from 2009-20, winning three Super Bowls with the franchise and one Super Bowl MVP en route to being inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. He retired in 2021.

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