Rob Gronkowski Admits Patriots Didn’t Consult Him Before Giving Romeo Doubs the Iconic 87 Number

Romeo Doubs has worn 87 on his jersey since his Packers days.

Rob Gronkowski Admits Patriots Didn’t Consult Him Before Giving Romeo Doubs the Iconic 87 Number

Romeo Doubs and Rob Gronkowski inside the circle (Image via Yahoo Sports/ IMAGO)

Romeo Doubs donned the No. 87 when he entered the NFL as a Green Bay Packer in 2022. Doubs kept the same number even after signing with the New England Patriots.

In the past, 87 belonged to someone else. Tight End Rob Gronkowski wore it for nine years. He won three Super Bowls and countless other accolades.

On her show, Kay Adams asked Gronkowski whether the Patriots spoke with him before assigning 87 to Doubs. Gronkowski said on the Up & Adams Show:

I’m not the one who makes the decisions over there. I wasn’t consulted at all. But I’m cool with it.

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Rob Gronkowski revealed the name of a former Patriot whose number should be retired

Gronkowski had 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 80 touchdowns in 115 regular-season games with the Patriots. He retired in 2019. But signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Tom Brady moved to the Bay Area in 2020. Gronk won his fourth ring with the Bucs. He played one more season before walking away from active football. On November 9, 2025, he signed a one-day contract with the Patriots to retire as a Patriot.

Rob Gronkowski Admits Patriots Didn't Consult Him Before Giving Romeo Doubs the Iconic 87 Number
Rob Gronkowski (Image via IMAGO)

Gronk is a Patriots icon and a frontrunner for first-ballot Hall of Fame induction. Many believe the Patriots should retire 87 to honor his contribution to the club’s legacy.

Gronkowski is not the first Patriots player to wear 87. Players like Tre Nixon, Matt Sokol, and Mitchell Wilcox also had the number. The 37-year-old has no concerns about what the Patriots will do with his number, but he feels the club must retire one number soon. Gronkowski said:

The only number that I truly believe should be retired in New England… is the No. 12 … Tom [Brady] 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.

Brady won six rings with the Patriots and one with the Buccaneers. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2024. Currently, Brady works as the lead color analyst for Fox Sports.

Romeo Doubs makes safety commitment to prolong his NFL career

Doubs is among the pioneers who chose safety over style when he first donned the guardian cap as a Green Bay Packer. A guardian cap is a soft-shell cover wrapped over the helmet for extra protection.

With CTE and other head-related injuries ending player careers, Doubs smartly chose safety above everything else. Doubs said in an Instagram message via Carlos A. Lopez of LosTalksPats:

Excited to join the team and put safety at the forefront. Protecting myself and ensuring that I continue to perform at a high level, and I’d love to see the next generation follow the same path.

Doubs is not the only notable receiver to follow the same path. New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave has suffered concussions since going pro, resulting in missed game time. In week one, the former Ohio State star debuted his Guardian Cap. Olave said at the Saints presser:

I want to be able to live the long game. It’s not all about football. I want to live a regular life after football. I love my kids to death. I don’t care how it looks no more. I just got to throw it on and shoot. It did me good today.

A brief history of Romeo Doubs’ career

Doubs attended the University of Nevada and played four years for the Wolfpack. The Packers drafted him 132nd overall in 2022. He caught 202 passes for 2424 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in 59 appearances. After the Packers declined to extend his contract, Doubs entered free agency. In March 2026, Doubs signed a four-year, $68 million contract with the Patriots.

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