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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.