The Facts: Gronkowski is calling on the NFL to allow players to use CBD products to aid their recoveries, in part so that he won’t face repercussions if he chooses to return to the league. “I don’t want to be banned from playing the sport I love because I’m using a product that anyone can buy right off the shelf at their local pharmacy,” Gronkowski said at a news conference Friday. “I’m not really sure why it’s banned.”

Diehards Line: Gronkowski’s comments came as he and CBD Medic — the Abacus Health Products company he partnered with in August — announced their partnership with Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place. When Gronkowski announced he was partnering with CBD Medic two months ago, he said the toll the game was taking on his body was what led him to step away from the NFL. While he remained cryptic about a possible return to the league on Friday, Gronkowski indicated that doing so would weigh on whether or not the NFL changes its CBD policies. “I also want to have the option to get back into the game, and if I’m banned next year I can’t,” Gronkowski said. Again, Gronk is selling CBD. So he has ample reason to promote it. And associating it with a possible return to the NFL does that.