ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- After clearing the concussion protocol Thursday, Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White called the NFL's one-game suspension of Rob Gronkowski "a joke" and referred to the New England Patriots tight end as a "dirty player" for his illegal hit in Sunday's game.
"I'm laying there," White said in his first public comments since the incident. "He snuck me with my back turned. He could have broke my neck. I mean, I got a son to raise [and] all that. People don't think about that when they just react."
"I'm glad I had my mouthpiece in. I probably could've bit my tongue off. I bit my lip pretty bad. Terrible headache. It is what it is. He did what he wanted to do. ... He is what he did. Dirty shot, so what does that make him? Dirty player. Simple."Tre'Davious White, on Rob Gronkowski
Gronkowski dove into White as the rookie cornerback lay face-down after a fourth-quarter interception in Sunday's 23-3 loss to New England, driving his left arm into the back of White's helmet. White was assisted to the locker room with help from trainers and did not return to the game. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday before clearing the concussion protocol Thursday.
"I'm glad I had my mouthpiece in," White said. "I probably could've bit my tongue off. I bit my lip pretty bad. Terrible headache. It is what it is. He did what he wanted to do. ... He is what he did. Dirty shot, so what does that make him? Dirty player. Simple."
Gronkowski, who said he hit White out of frustration for what he believed should have been defensive pass interference on the play, apologized to White when speaking to reporters after the game. White said he has not personally heard from Gronkowski since the hit.
When asked Thursday if Gronkowski's apology means anything to him, White responded, "No."
"His intentions were to hurt me," White said. "It is what it is. But that's [what happens] when you ball and they don't like that."
The Patriots and Bills meet again this season Dec. 24 at Gillette Stadium. White said he will have nothing to say before the game to Gronkowski, whom the NFL suspended for Monday night's game against the Miami Dolphins.
"I'm focused on the Colts [this Sunday]," he said. "Once we get back to that week where we play [the Patriots], we'll see what happens."
White said Thursday he had no comment about a text he sent to ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark, which Clark shared on ESPN Radio this week. According to Clark, White texted about Gronkowski, "the whole hood want 'em."
"That's between me and Ryan," White said.