Best of the Bus: Rob Gronkowski On Mike Vrabel's Patriots, Belichick At UNC & Joining Brady On Bucs

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Bussin' With The Boys — "Best of the Bus: Rob Gronkowski On Mike Vrabel's Patriots, Belichick At UNC & Joining Brady On Bucs"

Date: February 28, 2026
Guests: Rob Gronkowski
Hosts: Will Compton & Taylor Lewan

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Episode Overview

This high-energy episode features NFL icon Rob Gronkowski (Gronk) joining Will Compton and Taylor Lewan on the bus. The conversation spans Gronk's path from Buffalo to the NFL, wild behind-the-scenes stories with the Patriots, insights on Bill Belichick’s coaching style, Tom Brady’s expectations, Gronk’s legendary party life, and his reflections on retirement and media. Unfiltered, hilarious, and packed with both football wisdom and off-field antics, the episode delivers the ultimate look at the "Gronkowski experience" and celebrates football culture, brotherhood, and reinvention.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gronkowski’s Path from Buffalo to Arizona & the NFL

• Buffalo Roots and Hockey Dream

  • Gronk talks about growing up in Buffalo, his passion for hockey, family dynamics (shoutout to his nephews on the Buffalo Junior Sabers), and his brief hockey “career” before switching focus to basketball and eventually football.
  • Memorable Moment: Scoring 10 goals in a house hockey game, taking pride in physicality even as a kid ([15:20]-[18:21]).

• College Recruitment & Choosing Arizona

  • Gronk explains how his dad's fitness network and brother's recruiting led him to the University of Arizona after considering Ohio State, Clemson, and Syracuse.
  • Quote: “Arizona was just the right [fit]...the very first campus I basically ever seen...ridiculous. 90 degrees, palm trees. Went by a pool party...this is a college?” ([23:31]-[25:55]).

2. College Memories, Injuries & “Best Laid Plans”

• Recruiting Antics & Off-Field College Antics

  • Gronk recalls his hungover Ohio State visit, fights after parties, and the freedom of the pre-smartphone era where athletes could get away with more ([27:14]-[29:36]).

• Injury Setbacks & Early NFL Entry

  • He describes the pain of missing his entire junior year due to a major back surgery, his insurance policy in case of career-ending injury, and doubts about returning to the field ([33:07]-[34:40]).
  • Quote: “There was a little point, like, man, I might not ever be able to play again...I’m glad I got over that fear and everything worked out.” ([34:13])

3. The Draft Experience, Patriots Beginnings & Belichick’s Culture

• The Draft That Nearly Wasn’t

  • Despite injury setbacks, Gronk is drafted in the second round by New England after what he calls a “bombed” Patriots interview—falling asleep and failing to diagram a play, though ultimately impressing with his “just throw me the ball” attitude ([39:35]-[40:58]).
  • Quote: “I just bombed it in the best way possible...just throw me the ball still.” ([40:11])

• The Patriot Way: Strict, Demanding, & Respecting Results

  • Belichick’s willingness to let things slide for top performers, but quickness to call out slackers; stories of being called out in meetings, and the challenge of maintaining trust.
  • Memorable Moment: “Belichick let a lot of things go if you were balling on the field—he didn’t care if you were out all night. But the second you started dropping off...oh, you didn't want to be there.” ([59:02]-[60:16])

• Tom Brady’s Mentorship & Demands

  • Brady’s approach as “Mr. Patriot” early on—hard, demanding, “Bill Belichick’s son.” But once Gronk earned his trust, the partnership became legendary.
  • Quote: “He was really, really hard on me, but I see why, and I respect it to the highest T. I needed it—put it that way, I needed it.” ([67:29]-[75:22])

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4. The Gronk Off-Field Brand: Partying, Building a Persona, and Transition

• Building a Party Brand — Accidentally

  • Gronk discusses how his wild energy and party life, initially just being himself, naturally evolved into a lucrative brand (ex: Gronk Beach, the Gronk Cruise).
  • Quote: “I was just being myself…wherever I went people expected it…But I always knew that balling on the field was the real accelerator. If you’re not balling, the party doesn’t matter.” ([55:42]-[58:26])

• Balancing Nightlife with Football

  • He credits discipline—only partying one or two nights/week and always aligning fun with performance—and insists his biggest “brand” asset was football success.
  • Quote: “Football needs to be number one. I realized if I keep football at the highest level, everything else will always be there.” ([47:47]-[52:41])

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5. Wild NFL Stories: From Practice Fields to Playbooks

• Belichick’s Secret Humor & Loosened Persona

  • Rare moments of Bill’s humor and off-field presence, including stories of him showing up at parties; how he’s loosened up since moving to UNC.
  • Quote: “Every once in a while he would just come in with an absolute banger, bro. It always landed. Everyone would be dying, laughing.” ([90:42]-[91:24])

• Playbook Challenges and Learning Curve

  • The daunting transition from college’s simple playbook to New England’s complex schemes; why trust matters more than raw talent for playing time.
  • Quote: “You can show a burst...but if you only do that one out of every 10, you’re not in that pack.” ([62:34]-[65:32])

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6. The Hernandez Era, Friction with the Pats, and the Move to Tampa

• Aaron Hernandez Reflections

  • Gronk addresses wild rumors, confirms Hernandez was a playbook savant and wild personality, expresses sadness at lost potential, but didn’t see the extreme situation coming ([85:25]-[89:02]).
  • Quote: “I loved crazy, though…unbelievable football player…What happened was a surprise to everyone. The talent was just through the roof."

• Brady/Belichick Tension & Dynasty Split

  • Gronk’s perspective on the growing friction between Tom and Bill—two alpha figures unwilling to “bend the knee”—and how change became inevitable ([96:43]-[98:15]).
  • Joining the Bucs: "Everything checked out…totally different organization, more laid back, my body felt better, they wanted me, football was fun again.” ([98:57]-[103:51])

• “Working Smarter, Not Harder” — Classic Gronk

  • Legendary COVID-era story of submitting home workout videos to the team app, reusing multiple shirts to look like he was working out on different days.
  • Quote: “I just filmed myself [running sprints], switched T-shirts, and tricked them. You gotta work smarter, not harder, boys!” ([138:15]-[139:34])

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7. Philosophies on Retirement, Happiness & Handling Wealth

• What Surprised Gronk About Retirement
  • The lack of routine after years of structured football was hardest: “When you retire, that routine’s totally thrown out the window…getting off it messes with you” ([142:13]-[143:19]).
• Never Spending NFL Earnings
  • Confirms he lived only off endorsement/appearance money: “Technically...I have not spent any of my [NFL salary]” ([115:52]-[117:23]).
• Pearls of Gronk Wisdom
  • “I would do anything to be happy at all times, 24/7. That would be something special.” ([140:16])

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8. Modern Patriots, Vrabel, and This Year’s NFL

• Vrabel’s Era & New England’s Rebuild

  • Wholehearted endorsement of Mike Vrabel as head coach; praises the Patriots’ offseason moves ([118:24]-[121:14]).
  • Quote: “I’m going on record to say they’re making the playoffs this year…Vrabel is the perfect fit for the post-Belichick era.”

• Patriots Win Totals Parlay

  • In-depth odds discussion and Season Futures Parlay live on the show; Gronk bets $300 to win $1,400, picking over win totals for Patriots, Commanders, and Titans ([127:03]-[128:19]).

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9. Rapid-Fire & Signature Segment Highlights

• Tier Talk: Best Movie Couples

  • Hilarious, earnest “Tear Talk” segment where each host + Gronk ranks all-time movie couples. Honorable mentions and one-word reactions abound. Gronk’s picks include “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and his girlfriend with Channing Tatum in “Free Guy” ([128:28]-[136:19]).
  • Quote: “Love is the greatest drug out there.” ([129:14])

• Steve Harvey LEGO Spike, Unscripted/Scripted

  • Clarifies the viral New Year’s Eve LEGO head spike: It was scripted for him to spike it, but Steve Harvey’s reaction was not—“His reaction was priceless. It felt like he was truly pissed…” ([149:20]-[150:25])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you’re not balling, the party doesn’t matter.” — Gronk ([58:26])
• "He was Mr. Patriot my rookie year—Bill 2.0, zero fun. But when I bought in, he loosened up." — Gronk on Tom Brady ([67:29]-[74:13])
• "Just throw me the ball still." — Gronk on his Patriots interview ([40:11])
• "You gotta work smarter, not harder, boys." — Gronk on COVID workouts ([138:15]-[139:34])
• "Being happy is great... and energized." — Gronk on what he'd do anything for ([140:16])
• On Hinandez: “If we could have kept our tandem going, we would have been just truly unstoppable.” ([87:02])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Hockey & Buffalo Childhood: [15:01]-[19:04]
• Recruiting & Arizona: [23:25]-[25:55]
• College Injury & Draft: [29:43]-[34:40]
• Patriots Interview/Draft Process: [39:35]-[45:32]
• Belichick Culture & Tom Brady: [59:02]-[75:22]
• Brand Building & Party Stories: [47:47]-[58:26]
• Aaron Hernandez Discussion: [85:32]-[89:02]
• Brady/Belichick Breakup & Move to Bucs: [96:30]-[103:51]
• COVID Workout Video Hack: [138:15]-[139:34]
• Retirement & Podcasting: [142:13]-[145:15]
• Movie Couples/Tier Talk Segment: [128:28]-[136:13]

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Closing Thoughts

Stay for the sustained camaraderie, the deep football insights, the Gronk-style life lessons, and the ribbing takes on all things NFL, pop culture, and manhood. Gronk delivers on myth and myth-busting—the perfect blend for fans, former players, and anyone who loves the fun side of the game.

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Transcript

[Host 1]

The postseason is upon us and there's really nothing like it. But the postseason can be stressful. Crushing losses, wild upsets, your unhinged six game parlay falling apart at the literal last second. Things can get rough and it can leave you feeling a little sour. But you got to look at the bright side. Once your team is out and headed to decompress, you can finally relax. Now you can actually enjoy the postseason with all of the heart palpitations. That's why we're partnering with Jim Beam. We want to help you turn that lemon of a loss into delicious, tasty Jim Beam and lemonade because it's really the perfect bevy for the offseason. It's refreshing, it's got the perfect sweetness and a little bit of tang on your tongue. Best paired with stress free watching when your team is out. So gather the boys and grab some Jim Beam and lemonade to make the rest of the postseason just a little bit sweeter. Refresh your season with Jim Beam and lemonade best enjoyed together. Please drink responsibly. Jim Beam Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey 40% alcohol by volume 2025 James B. Beam Distilling Co. Clermont, Kentucky.

[Ben Higgins]

You can scroll the headlines all day and still feel empty. I'm Ben Higgins and if youf Can Hear Me is where culture meets the soul. Honest conversations about identity, loss, purpose, peace, faith, and everything in between. Celebrities, thinkers, everyday people. Some have answers. Most are still figuring it out. And if you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if youf Can Hear me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amanda Knox]

I'm Amanda Knox and in the new podcast, the Case of Lucy Letby, we unpack the story of an unimaginable tragedy that gripped the UK in 2023. But what if we didn't get the whole story?

[Host 1]

Evidence has been made to fit.

[Rob Gronkowski]

The moment you look at the whole picture, the case collapsed.

[Amanda Knox]

What if the truth was disguised by a story we chose to believe? Oh my God, I think she might be innocent. Listen to Doubt the Case of Lucy Letby on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host 2]

This is Special Agent Riegel, Special Agent Bradley Hall.

[Rob Gronkowski]

In 2018, the FBI took down a ring of spies working for China's Ministry of State Security, one of the most mysterious intelligence agencies in the world.

[Host 2]

The Sixth Bureau podcast is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Listen to the 6th Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we're good. Be like busing with the boys,

[Host 2]

hanging

[Rob Gronkowski]

with the fellas, betting on a game. No woman's going to tell us what to do. And been over here just drinking beer and making that noise, baby. I'm hanging with the fellas, busing with the boys, bro.

[Host 2]

Are we rolling, Mitchie?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. All right. We're rolling right now.

[Host 2]

Let's give a round of applause for Rob Gronowski finally making out the bus.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes. Been a long time coming. Three years time. We've been trying for three years. It's a pleasure to finally be on bus boys.

[Host 2]

Where the first time we met was at my house. You were doing about 2000 of NAD. Just sat there and stare at the wall for 3 hours. Just dying for a little bit. The next time, tight end, you.

[Host 1]

Yep.

[Host 2]

We were putting the full court press on them. And then we almost made it happen, but then I had to go to town for something. I can't remember what it was. Must have.

[Host 1]

We tried several times.

[Host 2]

We've tried this several times.

[Host 1]

Like Gronk said, the perfect moment's gonna strike, and that perfect moment is now.

[Host 2]

Right with.

[Host 1]

Because of fanduel.

[Host 2]

Because of fanduel.

[Host 1]

Fanduels brought all the boys together.

[Host 2]

The number one sports book in all of America.

[Host 1]

Yeah. If you are watching right now, make sure you are subscribed to the channel. It' easy for you. It helps the boys out a lot. Busting with the boys is presented by FanDuel Sportsbook. FanDuel is America's number one sportsbook. We just finished up the PGA championship. The NBA and NHL conference finals are underway. The NFL schedule dropped last week, and FanDuel's here for all of it. The matchups are set. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the west. The Indiana Pacers in. The New York Knicks in the east. Who are we riding with for the rest of the pro season? For the rest of the pro season?

[Host 2]

Boys, I'm gonna give you the Knicks. Give me the Knicks.

[Host 1]

Look, I'm. I'm just. I don't know shit about basketball, but I'm gonna ride with the Knicks because I feel like they've created the most chaos on social media.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Taking down the Celtics.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was actually just at game. I think it was game four. It was in New York, and I was there actually with Fanduel. I was up in their suite, you know, shooting Some content, making some bets in the game. And that atmosphere in New York at Madison Square Garden was absolutely electric. My man, I'm talking. I never seen a basketball game like that. The Garden in Boston is always electric. It was like another level, you know, in New York City, I feel like. Because they haven't been in the playoffs or that far in so long, and they're also facing the reigning champs, and they did win that game as well. So New York is popping. But I'm not a Knicks fan. I'm a Celtics fan, actually. Not really. I don't really have a true NBA team because I grew up in Buffalo. But I'm cheering for Oklahoma Thunder right now. I just watched Game seven versus. No, I'm not going Knicks. I was just giving them credit for their acting.

[Host 1]

And it does. It feels like the fan base is psychotic and incredible.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Psychotic.

[Host 2]

Yeah. The last game they just played, they, like, beat the. Out of the Celtics, like, 118 to, like, 84, something like that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Tatum was down. Brown has, like, a torn mcl.

[Host 2]

They're getting.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Football had, like, an illness. Yeah. Football injuries that they just don't know how to work through because they're not football players.

[Host 2]

Gotta get that soft dish. Get that soft dish figured out, baby.

[Host 1]

The.

[Host 2]

And also Timothy Shalaman. You see that guy sitting outside the suv?

[Host 1]

Yeah. The videos after the game, like, outside. Timothy Charlemagne. And then, like, there's some fan. What is that? What did I say?

[Host 2]

I think you said it nice.

[Host 1]

Charlemagne.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Charlotte Charlemagne.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's a hard name to say. It's a hard name. You don't want me to try. Yeah.

[Host 1]

And I saw some other. Where they're throwing, like, trash bags at him.

[Host 2]

Who.

[Host 1]

Who was that? It was that a Celtics fan.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That was an Indiana Pacers fan. And he was wearing the star player's name. What's up? Hal Burton.

[Host 2]

Sure.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Hal Burton's jersey. And they were throwing trash cans and everything at him and just videoing it, dude.

[Host 2]

The north, the Northeast, which is.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Which is wild. That's too much, man. Just because he's wearing the jersey around the city and you're attacking him. I mean, it was one verse, like a thousand. The guy just had to walk away in shame. But I think that's too much to start throwing trash at, like, a random fan that's just wearing another jersey. Something in the middle of the streets.

[Host 2]

I kind of love it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You do?

[Host 2]

I do. Because it's just, like, it adds.

[Host 1]

For the entertainment.

[Host 2]

For the entertainment. I don't think we should ever hurt somebody. We should never be hateful. Checkbox, check box, checkbox. But I also think, like when fan bases are that nasty, you talk about like the Philadelphia Eagles, like, that adds to the storyline of all the teams playing. And the last time they played X, Y and Z happened. Like, I think it's good for sports and the culture and everything like that. There's a place for it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Just as long as it doesn't lead.

[Host 2]

Right. As long as we're not pulling out.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Aggressiveness.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Stabbing fights and yeah, people getting stabbed. But that's usually what it leads to.

[Host 2]

Right, Right. If we can just throw a nice bag of trash at somebody and they maybe chest, like bump chest a couple times, push each other.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, we'll move on.

[Host 2]

Yeah, we'll take that every day of the week.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Maybe throw a couple fists.

[Host 2]

Yeah, if we couple. Yeah, just a couple. Keep it classy. Since we're showing the basketball thing. K. Clark, Angel Reese, where do you stand on that?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'm a Caitlyn Clark fan.

[Host 2]

Are you really?

[Host 1]

Where do you stand on.

[Host 2]

Do you have you. Do you see this past weekend, I

[Host 1]

see how the Internet's blowing up about it and making it something like way

[Rob Gronkowski]

more than I really do think that Angel Reese does not like Caitlyn Clark.

[Host 1]

Well, she probably doesn't. Like they have probably a competitive rivalry, but everybody tries to make it about some race thing.

[Host 2]

Storyline. Oh yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But the first time I'm a Caitlyn Clark fan because I actually just hearing a lot about her when she was at Iowa. What was it? I think her second last year when they. When she was playing in all the games? No, I think it was her last year and I haven't seen her play yet. And then she was in the tournament and I finally watched a game in the tournament and she was just shooting threes up like she was Steph Curry and she was just sinking them from like five feet past the three point line. That's when I became a big fan. Just watching her first game in the tournament and I was just thrilled watching her and I was, I was in shock just how smooth she was too, with all her passes, the way she dribbled and the way she shot. And then ever since then I became a big fan of her game and now I follow her through the WNBA and I follow that whole beef. Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark. And I think Caitlin Clark is on the pedestal of being top dog in the NBA and the wnba and Angel Reese, I feel like is just a little bit jealous.

[Host 2]

You know the thing when we go, we talk about Storylines.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, right. That too. It goes way back to them.

[Host 2]

Caitlin Clark being as good as she is is one. So she comes in. There's a big jump in the, in the viewership in wnba. But that wouldn't be sustainable if there wasn't the Angel Reese's adding to like the hate. Now we have this big rivalry going on. So next time they play. The seats were filled for that game and I just think it's brought a

[Host 1]

lot of attention to the league.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I don't think. Yeah, I agree. You need Angel Reese to have this hatred to Caitlin Clark and all these other players to keep getting that attention that the WNBA actually deserves as well. And it's working.

[Host 2]

Right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, if they were all for Caitlin Clark. Oh, she's such a good player.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

She's so sweet to play again. I'm going to let her shoot her three pointer. I'm not going to contest it. No. Since she's getting elbows thrown at her. People are loving that. People love physicality in sports. That's what fans love. That's why hockey's back. All the fighting when the. With the four nations, everyone's throwing elbows at each other, the checks. That's why the NBA is kind of back in the playoffs right now because the referees are letting all that physicality, you know, just go on. They're getting physical again in the pain. They're throwing elbows. They're playing hard. And fans love to see that. And that's why football is the greatest

[Host 2]

sport,

[Rob Gronkowski]

because every play is physical. You don't know what's gonna happen. You're getting dirty every single play.

[Host 2]

Before we go any further, could we just get a quick moment of silence for my beloved Toronto Maple Leafs? Thank you very much for your time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, that was tough for me because I'm from Buffalo. I'm a big Buffalo Sabres fan. So Toronto Maple Leafs was our rival.

[Host 2]

Really.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, throughout my whole childhood, especially Tai Domi versus Rob Ray. All those fights back in the day, I love both of them. Just getting after it. Yes. But I. I didn't really want to give that moment of silence.

[Host 2]

I will say this if we can. We can be nasty about Toronto now. They're in a game seven in the biggest game in your franchise's history since 1967 when you actually won the cup. Disgusting display of effort. The boys were did not want it yesterday in the first period. 00. Then all of a sudden I go to start putting my kids down. I pop up the YouTube TV as I'm laying on the ground. As they're falling asleep and they're just getting throttled.

[Host 1]

It was like three goals within 10 minutes, buddy.

[Host 2]

And they just got after them over and over and over again. I mean, they killed a great penalty after the first period. And then Walt was a wall. He was a goalie. Correct. He became a sieve in those last two periods. And it was just tough, dude. Tough.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, I know history repeats itself and I think the Toronto Maple Leafs have folded in basically every game seven in the last five, six years. Right. In the playoffs. So I actually did my first NHL bet on FanDuel sportsbook last night. I bet 200 on the Florida Panthers just beating the Toronto Maple Leaf straight up. And I won. Let me pull it up, man. I'm not telling you. It's my first bet I've ever made

[Host 2]

and I'll pull up.

[Host 1]

Taylor put five grain on the Maple Leaf Leafs.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. That must have not worked.

[Host 2]

No, it didn't hit.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It did hit.

[Host 2]

Bet one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, mine hit. And I bet the Florida pan. Yeah. Yeah. So I kind of wish you won now and then we could have like winning your bet.

[Host 2]

Taylor bet a lot more and got his ass.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Let me gon. It was actually my first bet in the state of Tennessee too, which is really cool. All right. Right here. Tennessee settled. Look at that. Florida panthers. Total wager $200.

[Host 2]

1.

[Rob Gronkowski]

340.

[Host 1]

I love that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, look at that.

[Host 2]

You don't have to show me.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I, you know, I just kind of wanted to just show it off. Check it out.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I did see that. I. I saw that on Twitter last night. I'm just thinking to myself, God damn it.

[Host 1]

Well, I was just watching. I was doing the same thing.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was a thousand percent. Right now my last.

[Host 2]

My last four bets with the Toronto Maple Leafs have gotten murdered. And I had Toronto a futures bet on them winning the Eastern Conference finals. And obviously that's not going to come. Come together anymore. That's now dead.

[Host 1]

Biz has been such a, like, you know, voice for the Leafs. And then you've obviously been riding with the Leafs too. So knowing that they were in a game seven when I was just watching it last night, she says like, you know, non hockey guy, just watching as a fan for the love of the game. For the love of the game. We got a game seven going on. It did seem like Florida was just playing at a different speed. Just bullying, bullying the Maple Leaf.

[Host 2]

I had Clump on the phone with a bunch of people from fanduel setting up something. When they won this game. I was going to go to a game in Toronto. Yeah, check it out. Get the environment, see what that's all about. Sure enough, man. Well, they the bed and everyone told me Toronto is like the Dallas Cowboys of hockey. Like, they're like the biggest, most well known franchise, they sell the most jerseys, they make the most money, blah, blah. And I thought, that's great. I'll get behind them. It'll be a fun fan base to play with. Little did I know if they really are the Dallas Cowboys, they'll the bed in the playoffs. And that's what just happened. Yeah, tough, tough.

[Host 1]

It was 1 2. Like when it was 00 after the first period, I was like, I wonder if it'll work. Because you could notice that Florida was just out playing them the whole time. Even though 00. It was like 17 hang around and the Leafs might just pull something off, but then they just started to just put their face in the pillow.

[Host 2]

Austin Matthews, the Scottsdale Arizona guy. Captain.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

I was like, man, I need an Arizona boy to run it for us. But now we got Chuck. Good chuck for the Panthers.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I mean, my favorite player in the NHL though, is the Edmonton Oilers going blank. Yeah, McDavid. I mean, I love just how he skates around. Just.

[Host 2]

He's incredible.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I used to ice, you know, line to line and just goes around everyone. I'm cheering for him. I'm hoping that Oilers win it all. Plus I feel like the NHL needs a Canada team to, you know, win it. It's been so long and I think that'll bring hockey back in a way. Even though, you know, four nations. Yeah. Even though we're beefing a little bit hard right now.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Canada's beefing with the US real world. I think it would be. Yeah, I think it would be really good if Edmonton Oilers win it for the NHL.

[Host 1]

Just for the sport, the attention and everything.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Exactly. And on top of it, on top of speaking about hockey, my brother texted me this morning. He goes, you have to let. Because I was like, I'm going on with Boston with the boys. And I didn't really know. I don't think he really knew. That's truly. You guys are like more of a football podcast. And he goes, you have to let them know you're going to be in the hockey world soon with all your nephews. So I just want to give a shout out to all my nephews. They're up and coming in the hockey world right now. They're playing on the Buffalo Junior Sabers. They're ballers. And you'll Be hearing a lot about them in the future.

[Host 2]

Let's go. Years old. Ralphie didn't like that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I told my brother I would get it in if somehow the hockey subject gets brought up. So there you go, brother. And Jace Grayson keep dominating boys. You guys are going to be lethal out there on the ice.

[Host 2]

You play at all, you get on the skates. Being New York.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I love playing hockey, man. I grew up and played until ninth grade and I stopped playing hockey because hockey and basketball were at the same time. And I just thought basketball was a better fit for me. And I kind of like basketball more at that time. But hockey was my favorite sport growing up.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I mean you're so many dance probably

[Host 1]

the right call with basketball.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

But think about this guy's a defenseman in hockey.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was like Chara, but left wing, you know.

[Host 2]

Charles. No, that's your wife. Number one. Number two is a Danny and Charo, he was a guy that played for the Boston bruins. He's like six, seven. He's like 611 on skates. This. He was Russian, right? This Russian cat who just beat the fuck out of people.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He was. He was not from the U.S. i don't know exactly.

[Host 2]

He was not from here. He wasn't from from here. But the guy had like a hundred. I think he did like 110 mile an hour slap shot. Because he used to do that like the all Star games. They would do all like the little challenges. His slap shot was insane.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This guy literally like 23 years.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

In the NHL and just would body bag people of all time.

[Host 2]

Yeah. And that could have been 6, 9.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Could have been grown 6, 9.

[Host 1]

Were you nice up until you stopped playing?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I was nice. I was nice. If I get on skates now, I'm pretty sloppy because it's been so long and you got to like be able to skate all the time in order to keep up with it. But I was nice, man. I only played up a level. I played with all my friends that were older than me. I love playing hockey. It was. It was by far my favorite sport. And I was in Buffalo too. With all the ice rinks around. It was so good. I one time scored 10 goals in a game when it was. It was house hockey. We were down 10 to one and I ended up scoring 10 goals in a row and tied it up and made it 11. 11 and then we ended up losing 12 to 11. That was, I think squirts. You scored 10 goals, 10 goals. It was ridiculous. It was one of the best Performances of all time. I know. It was just. And then another time, there was this. There was this chick. She was. This was travel hockey. There was this chick on the Cheektowaga team, I think it was. And this. This is pretty good story. And she was vicious, she was strong. And she always came after me to try and just deck me. And it was always a joke. Oh, Rob, we're playing the chick. Like, don't get leveled. And she came at me and I absolutely destroyed her. I'm talking, like, she would go flying back like three feet, but she would get up, and then next shift, she would come full speed and try to deck me. One time she hit me pretty hard. She went flying back still, though. But my helmet broke and my face mask went flying off me. So still to this day, my friends punk me about the time the chick absolutely rocked me and my face mask went flying off me. But then, like, literally, like 10 years later, when I got to the NFL, whatever, eight years later, however long it was, I'm a Rookie and she DMs me on Facebook.

[Host 2]

Facebook.

[Rob Gronkowski]

She's like, hey, Rob, remember, I'm the girl that always attacked you in hockey. And I, like, lost my mind. I was showing all my friends that she. She's writing me messages. It was just. It was just cool.

[Host 1]

Big respect to her, too. Even though she got decked.

[Host 2]

She tried to slide in the DMs after. Yeah. Oh, he made it to the league. Your arch rival. She was your angel, Reese. And you're. And then all of a sudden, you make it to the league.

[Rob Gronkowski]

She's like, give her a shout out for just having the sack to just come at me. Yeah, yeah. Every single.

[Host 2]

I'm sure you were an absolute unit at this time, too. Still. Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, yeah. I was. No. Back in the day when I was playing hockey. Oh, fearless. Fearless.

[Host 2]

I played hot. We had a much different stories. I played hockey, like when I was like eight or whatever, like, mites. And it was right before checking and I. House, House got a hat trick. We won it. The next year, peewees were doing, like, tryouts for a travel team. And I did not know checking was like starting right as the whistle's blowing. Some guy who I believe in my head is still to this day, he was 6, 7 at 8 years old, not. It knocks me down. I got off the ice, I was done. I wanted nothing to do with it. Really wanted nothing to do with it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Was that the last time you skate?

[Host 2]

That was the last time. You know, they say, get back on the horse. No I went in that locker room, I took my pads off. I retired that day. Dude, I was such a growing up.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, then what. What got you into football? If you could handle.

[Host 1]

No idea.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How the did you get into football?

[Host 2]

I was the kid. I was the kid that was, like, tall.

[Host 1]

He even hated baseball. I think he got hit with the ball.

[Host 2]

Yes. This dude. I would step out of the batter's box and, like, kind of swing like this.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, you were one of those.

[Host 2]

I was one of those kids.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Those were the best, dude. Okay, that backs up when the pitch is coming. He backs up three feet and then swings.

[Host 2]

That was me.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, that was you. Because he was so scared.

[Host 2]

So scared.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, those kids drove me crazy. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Yeah, that was.

[Host 1]

You would have.

[Host 2]

You would have hated my guys.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Like, when did that switch?

[Host 2]

Probably puberty. Probably, like, yeah, I got a little hair in my sack and I was like, you know what? This physicality thing's not bad. I like, went from doing sports, like, from 5 to 11, 12, 13. I did my whole, like, X Games, like, meta militia, Travis Pastrana, Nitro circuits, life. And then I got a little bit of trouble. My dad's like, you got to play football. And we went and played football one state my sophomore year at nose tackle. And from then on, I was like, yo, I'm obsessed with football. I loved it. Is that the dog?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, Ralphie.

[Host 1]

If people are able to see Ralphie down here, we got. Yeah, we got a little French.

[Host 2]

He's making squirrel noises in the corner over here.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's a good boy. He's actually been on TV before. He was in a USAA commercial with me. So this guy's a superstar.

[Host 2]

Yeah. You know, this is a superstar. Our interview, who is brought to us by Bud Light. Bald Light is always brew with four simple ingredients for clean Chris taste. Bud Light is the official beer sponsor of the NFL, the NFL Draft, tight end university, the UFC, and Shane Gillis's 2025 tour. Bud Light partners include Peyton Manning, Will Compton, George Kittle, Taylor Lawan, Baker Mayfield, Emmett Smith, Shane Gillis, Post Malone, and Dustin poirier. Go to www.budlight.com forward/locator to find something near you. I don't know what the other thing is, though.

[Host 1]

Easy to drink, Easy to enjoy.

[Host 2]

Easy to drink. He's enjoyed. That's it.

[Host 1]

There are some. There's some French bulldog haters on this bus.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Really?

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Who would that be?

[Host 1]

Sniff them out.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You talking about yourself?

[Host 1]

No.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You look like a French. Yeah, you look like one of those white French.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I Got an English bulldog at home. Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right. That's like a French bulldog. That's the grandfather.

[Host 1]

Yeah, we're part of the bulldog world.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I said. Yeah, you do. You look like more of a French, but go ahead. English bulldog.

[Host 2]

That's tough.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It's definitely Taylor.

[Host 1]

You can't.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You can't.

[Host 1]

I can't let you guys be talking up.

[Host 2]

I don't hate Frenchies.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. You're not opposed to them?

[Host 2]

I'm a little bit opposed to him.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Really? Oh, so it's him. Yeah, I'm one.

[Host 2]

So this is.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You're not a Frenchy guy?

[Host 2]

I'm not a Frenchie guy. I think he's got a good coat on him. He's got good broad shoulders. He's got a nice coat on. The boy looks good. Got a piece on him, too. My God.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What about these balls that are hanging?

[Host 2]

I haven't seen those yet. I haven't seen those.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Turn around, Ralphie. I made. Right there. His nickname's Ralph Nuts. I'll take a peek later. I don't want to.

[Host 2]

I don't want to make him uncomfortable, but yeah, yeah. Good looking dog. I just.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wow.

[Host 1]

Yeah, that's a good boy. Right now.

[Host 2]

This is a tough start to me in this podcast for me.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, walk off the bus, driver, open up the door. Ralphie and I getting off, we're going for a walk. Yeah, I'm gonna have to think about this one. We need to take a couple deep breaths.

[Host 2]

Aren't these guys like made in the lab? Like, aren't they, like, not.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I know that that is one thing that they say about. I just kind of plug my ears when people start talking.

[Host 2]

They got a lot of health issues too, right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

A lot of health issues. But this guy, he stays in top shape, but he's pretty healthy. It's crazy, but majority of them, I mean, for how healthy he is, it's still like a full time job just making sure that he's healthy. But, you know, you got to keep him active. If you don't keep them active, then that's when all the health problems definitely really start.

[Host 2]

You put them on the treadmill, they're so in front of them.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Their personalities are through their roof. They're like human beings. They're the best. To be one on one with them, they're. They're just so entertaining and loving.

[Host 2]

That's awesome, man. I'm happy for you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Thank you, man. Thank you for being happy. Yeah. As long as you're happy for me.

[Host 2]

Hey, that's it, brother? That's all I can do.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'll get off the bus right saying,

[Host 2]

dude, let's talk about growing up. So you grew up in Buffalo?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I like Taylor. He ran over.

[Host 2]

Yeah, he went to gobo.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, Bobo.

[Host 2]

So you, you grew up in Buffalo?

[Host 1]

Yeah. Shout out here.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I told him I'll give him a shout out. You know, he's always searching. I had some, you know, vitamins this morning. Some nad to make sure I'm clear minded. So thank you to arete. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Shout out in, dude, Buffalo. You grew up in Buffalo. How do you head to Tucson, Arizona?

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right.

[Host 2]

Was it dirt bags?

[Rob Gronkowski]

It wasn't dirt bags, but it should have been dirt bags. Actually. I never been to dirt bags before until I actually went to the NFL. And then I was old enough when I came back on a visit after my rookie year. I was 21, so I finally got to go to dirtbags. I didn't hit any bars when I was. No, no. I really, I mean, I would admit it, like, no big deal. I didn't hit any bars. When I was at the University of Arizona. It was literally all house parties or going to a frat party or having our own house party or just running around the streets just trying to get into a bar, but not getting into the bar because I was, you know, never of age. But so my brothers were getting recruited out of high school, and my brother Chris, who's two years older than me, well, first off, my dad's in the business of selling fitness equipment. He's been in the business for 35 years now. And then he became best friends with a guy named Donnie who did the same thing as him that was alumni at the University of Arizona, but sold all his equipment in Arizona. So then, you know, they go on a work trip where life fitness brings everyone because they both sell life Fitness products. And then what is it, like a fitness convention? And then that's where they met and they became best friends. And then when we were all just kids, so like alumni, Arizona was like, bring your kids out to Arizona. I know the coaches. I'll get them. You know, I'll try to get them a scholarship, show them the film, bring them out on a trip. Come on, we got to get it done. So I went on a trip with my brother when he was a senior when he went to the University of Arizona, my dad was like, hey, you're up next in line. Like, come on the trip. See what it's all about to get recruited. And then University of Arizona was the very first Cool. I basically ever seen in my life. And I fell in love with the place my sophomore year in high school. I was like, this is a college. This is, this is ridiculous. I mean it's 90 degrees, palm trees. We went by a pool party and like as a sophomore year, you know, in high school you're like, oh my

[Host 1]

God, out in Arizona.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This is ridiculous.

[Host 2]

Yeah, those Arizona schools, asu. U of A is nuts.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, exactly. And then that's how I, that's how I got to University of Arizona. I fell in love with it when I just tagged along with my brother on his recruiting trip. And then they started recruiting me from there after my brother chose to go to the University of Maryland. Then he actually transferred to the University of Arizona and played with me there for two years. And he was a fullback and I was the tight end and we were on the field at the same time for a year, which was just super cool to have and just ball out with my brother. So that's how I got there. Long story short, you were, were you

[Host 1]

highly recruited coming out of high school?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I was a four star. I was in the Rivals top top 250. I was like the fifth tight end on the board. Hernandez was actually number one.

[Host 2]

Really?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, we were in the same class. He was number one. And then there's a couple in between. I forgot who they were, but they never made it to the NFL, I don't think. But it was, it was, you know, it was, you know, the whole entire recruiting process I went through, it was, you know, enjoyable because my top four, you know, where Ohio State, Clemson, Syracuse and Arizona. And everyone was just so surprised that I, you know, chose Arizona to go all the way out west. But I just fell in love with that place from the very beginning. Love Clemson. Almost went there. That was definitely number two. Ohio State, you know, they were recruiting me. I kind of just took a visit there because it was the Ohio State University. I mean, I could definitely see myself fitting in there. You know, I can, I can see myself being a Buckeye. That's when Jim Trestle was the head coach too. The facilities were insane as well. And then Syracuse my dad went to, but the program was just so down low at the time.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And I just kind of wanted to get out of the state of New York. I didn't want to go back to, you know, basically home where I grew up in Buffalo. So Arizona was just the right.

[Host 1]

Don't you have a legendary story from your Ohio State visit?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes, I do.

[Host 1]

To where you were, what Was it you were hungover?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was super hungover. So I was a senior. I moved to Pittsburgh my senior year in high school. So it was an easy trip to go over, you know, to Ohio State when they were recruiting me. And then all my friends for Buffalo, they were all older than me, and some of them went to the Ohio State University. So I took my official visit there and I went out with my friends the night before the game and they showed me around. We actually got in a fight, which wasn't surprising. That was my last time. I basically brought. I used to fight all the time when I was a senior in high school because I was visiting my brothers at the University of Maryland. Maryland. And they were just badass. Him and his roommates, and they would just brawl every weekend and I would show up and just join just a

[Host 2]

fight club in the University of Maryland. Hey, hey, Rob, you want to go get this one in, dude?

[Rob Gronkowski]

We would literally walk from the bar and just try to pick a fight on the way home. Like, I was running into people on purpose. And then next thing you know, it was a five on five brawl. I was getting thrown down a hill. My brother kicked the guy in the face. Yeah. Next thing I know, I look, look up the hill and the guys falling down the hill, that threw me down the hill. But I got in a little fight. It wasn't that big of a fight at the. At the Ohio State. It was just a little, you know, scuffle and. But we had a good time and the next morning went to the game. I think that was Ohio State verse. I forgot who they were playing, but I was hurting.

[Host 2]

Look at this guy. The guy in the bottom, right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

All the waters that I had. Yeah, all the waters I had.

[Host 1]

Did Ohio State 8. Did any of the staff know that you had gotten a fight the night before?

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, no. No clue. No clue. It wasn't that big of a fight. It wasn't worth, you know, being in the news either. It wasn't newsworthy. Oh, that water. I just wasn't really, like, there's no, like, phones back then or Twitter, which was the best time. I'm so glad none of that existed. Like, when I was in college. Like, it was an era of, like, the South. The camera phones were just beginning when I was in college. But, like, that absolutely sucks to be a superstar in college right now. And you can't, like, really live a college life life because everyone has those camera phones. If you go out, you know, to a house party, you're just gonna be filmed, like that's not cool at that age.

[Host 1]

Yeah, that sucks.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You really can't have that true college experience. And I feel like I was that last era to be able to do all the crazy without ever being on, like, a cell phone or being, like, reported to Twitter. Plus, I wasn't as good as, you know, I was in the NFL as I was in college. I was a good player, but it's not like, you know, people knew me like, that. I could run around.

[Host 2]

Yeah, but you chose to leave early, right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I left early as well.

[Host 2]

Yeah, but you got to be pretty damn good to be able to enter your name into the draft.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Which sucked, because I didn't even play my junior year.

[Host 2]

Really?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, which sucked. I was about to ball out, man. I was ready to go my junior year. Nick Foles was our quarterback. We had a solid team. We went 8 and 4 that year. My brother was the fullback as well, so it sucked. I complete with my brother. My friends with Foals, we were balling in the spring game as well. I had, like, eight catches for, like, 100 in the spring game. And that was the first time that we even played together, Foles and I. And then I just blew out my back, bro. I had that microdiscectomy surgery where I think it was just. Just going to ham in college, lifting, doing all the other, you know, extra activities as well. And then I just had major bulging disc, and I just kept going harder and harder on him. And, like, the harder I went on it, the more numb it would get at that moment. And I was able to go out to practice and lift. And then, like, that night, I wouldn't be able to move. And the next day, I would just go hard on it again. Eventually, I blew it out totally. I couldn't even feel my legs anymore when I was 19 years old. And then it sucked because I had to get the surgery that. And then finally I was like, yo, my back's fucked up. And then I even went out to training camp and got open on an in route, ran so slow, but the. It opened up, the defense opened up, and I caught the pass, turned around, like, 1 mile per hour, and I walked off the field. I was like, yo, I'm fucked. Like. And then we were finally like, all right, let's get an mri. And my back was blown out. The disc was so herniated on the spinal cord. And then eventually I got the surgery and missed my junior year, which, you know, if I could go back, that's one thing I would do, is if I wish I could replay my junior year and play at the University of Arizona, but I still left early. Still left early, yes.

[Host 2]

You must have had a good couple of first years then.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I did. What was crazy is my freshman year going In, I had six touchdowns, you know, like 500 something yards. I was balling. But then going into my sophomore year, I was like, I'm ready to dominate. You know, it's kind of like the NFL. You know, you're getting your feet wet. I didn't really know the playbook that well. You know, adjusting to life, trying to, you know, do the dumb off the field as well. That was more important.

[Host 2]

The candle at both ends is tough.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It was. It was really more important to me. I'm not gonna. It was probably just as important as football was to me, was going out and. And acting like an idiot. You know, rookie year in the NFL and freshman year at college. I mean, you can't blame me. 18 years old, 21 years old.

[Host 2]

Yeah. At a place like U of A, too.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And then going to myself, maria, I'm ready to dominate. I get mono. I get mono somehow.

[Host 2]

And I'm guessing.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And I had to miss the first three games because they said, oh, your spleen's blown up. You know, you got to miss. So I missed three games my sophomore year. True. Sophomore year. Came back and played like, what is it? You missed three, was 12 games and the season, played nine games, had like 10 touchdowns and balled out. And then we went to the Las Vegas ball, which. Which was my last game I played at the University of Arizona. And that was the year my brother and I played together. And he had a great game. I only had, like, you know, 20 yards that, that bowl game, but we won. It was the first bowl game that the University of Arizona even went to in 10 years. And we won it. And then that was my last, last game as a Wildcat. But Overall, I played 16 games in college and had 16 touchdowns as an 18 year old and 19 year old.

[Host 2]

That is awesome.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So I had enough film to get me, you know, drafted in the second round.

[Host 2]

When you had the bulging discs and you got the MRI and they're like, you can't even feel your legs. Did you think at any point that your career was over?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Over? Yeah, I sure did. Actually, I went and actually I was lucky enough I had an insurance policy. My dad got me an insurance policy going in my junior year because I was, you know, I was kind of highly rated, you know, that I could get drafted that year in like, the top Three rounds. So I had an insurance policy, and I could have cashed out on it, actually, because they were saying I had spinal dinosis. What is it? Spinal.

[Host 2]

I wouldn't. I wouldn't know.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Spinal. What's that word? Stenosis. I'm saying dinosis. Spinal stenosis. And, like, my spine's curved, and there's a lot of question marks on my back. And they were like, oh, like, the insurance company's like, hey, you can never play football again if you get that policy. And I was like. I was like, fuck that. I'm playing football. That was my ultimate dream. I always wanted to be in the NFL. I'll just work through this, but at some points, trying to come back, because that was my first surgery, like, I couldn't really get that pop back because you lose that pop because the spinal cord is completely shut down. And, like, to get that pop, to get the explosiveness back, back. I was training. I left early. I was training for the combine. And right before the combine, I didn't even participate in the combine, because at that time, I didn't even have that pop. Still. Like, I couldn't even broad jump.

[Host 2]

This dude just played high school football, basically.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And then finally, boom, I got it back. And then, you know, I kind of understood the recovery process and all that. And then I. I was finally, like, all right, I can play again. I got this. But there was a little point, like, man, I might not ever be able to play again, because, like. Like, you know that you don't. You never been through that experience, you know? So I'm glad I got over that fear and over that stage, because everything worked out.

[Host 1]

You didn't even play your junior year?

[Rob Gronkowski]

No. Not one. Not one snap.

[Host 1]

You know, the last game of him officially, like, as a. As a Wildcat Nebraska Las Vegas Bowl.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, that was the year I didn't play, brother. Was that first you. Were you on that team?

[Host 1]

I was a freshman.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You were a freshman. So that was the year I didn't play.

[Host 1]

That was a Holiday bowl, right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

The Holiday Bowl. We got smacked by you guys. You had not the Dominican SU at the time. He went, what, number two overall that year. But that was a year I got hurt. And if I didn't get hurt, we would have waxed your ass, brother.

[Host 1]

But I think. I think we actually.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We would have been in the Rose Bowl.

[Host 2]

Yeah, dude.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, that's. That was nothing. Yeah.

[Host 1]

The postseason is upon us, and there's really nothing like it. But the postseason can be stressful. Crushing losses, wild upsets, your unhinged six game parlay falling apart at the literal last second. Second. Things can get rough and it can leave you feeling a little sour. But you gotta look at the bright side. Once your team is out and headed to decompress, you can finally relax. Now you can actually enjoy the postseason with all of the heart palpitations. That's why we're partnering with Jim Beam. We want to help you turn that lemon of a loss into delicious, tasty Jim Beam and lemonade because it's really the perfect bevy for the offseason. It's refreshing, it's got the perfect sweetness and a little bit of tang on your tongue. Best paired with stress free watching when your team is out. So gather the boys and grab some Jim Beam and lemonade to make the rest of the postseason just a little bit sweeter. Refresh your season with Jim Beam and lemonade best enjoyed together. Please drink responsibly. Jim Beam Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey 40% alcohol by volume 2025 James B. Beam Distilling Co. Clermont, KY Day or Night

[Amanda Knox]

VRBO Care is Here 24? 7 to help make every part of your stay seamless.

[Rob Gronkowski]

If anything comes up or you simply

[Amanda Knox]

need a little guidance, support is ready whenever you reach out. From the moment you book to the moment you head home.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We're here to help things run smoothly because a great trip starts with the right support.

[Amanda Knox]

And hey, a good playlist doesn't hurt either.

[Host 1]

What do you do when the headlines

[Ben Higgins]

don't explain what's happening inside of you? I'm Ben Higgins, and if you hear me is where culture meets the soul, a place for real conversation. Each episode I sit down with people from all walks of life, celebrities, thinkers, and everyday folks, and we go deeper than the polished story. We talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope. We get honest about the big stuff. Identity when you don't recognize yourself anymore. Loss that changes you purpose when success isn't enough. Peace when your mind won't slow down. Faith when it's complicated. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out. If you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if you can hear me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amanda Knox]

In 2023, a story gripped the UK, evoking horror and disbelief.

[Host 2]

The nurse who should have been in charge of caring for tiny babies is now the most prolific child killer in modern British history.

[Amanda Knox]

Everyone thought they knew how it ended. A verdict, a Villain, a nurse named Lucy Letby.

[Host 1]

Lucy Letby has been found guilty.

[Amanda Knox]

But what if we didn't get the whole story?

[Host 1]

The moment you look at the whole

[Rob Gronkowski]

picture, the case collapses.

[Amanda Knox]

I'm Amanda Knox, and in the new podcast Doubt the Case of Lucy Letby, we follow the evidence and hear from the people that lived it to ask what really happened when the world decided who Lucy Letby was. No voicing of any skepticism or doubt.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It'll cause so much harm at every single level of the British establishment of this is wrong.

[Amanda Knox]

Listen to Doubt the Case of Lucy letby on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host 1]

33 to nothing. I was chilling.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, you guys were chilling when you're.

[Host 1]

I mean, I was showing because I was young.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, you were. Red shirt swamped us.

[Host 2]

Do what you're red shirting.

[Host 1]

This was my freshman red shirt year.

[Host 2]

Got you.

[Host 1]

Not my retro. Not my retro year, but my second year.

[Host 2]

Yeah, your Redford freshman year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Dude, that was bad. We got whomped. I was there, though. I was there. I didn't play that whole year, man. It sucked. It sucks not playing, dude.

[Host 1]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

You're just standing there on the sideline.

[Host 1]

It's fast.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was. I was standing on the ground. Just brutal.

[Host 1]

It's fascinating to me that he got drafted in the second round and he only played 16 games in college and he had back surgery and had all these question marks about it.

[Host 2]

Didn't participate.

[Host 1]

Going up to the combine.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Like in the pre draft process.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Didn't even participate at the combine. I did. The bench press. Got 23.

[Host 1]

Didn't you. Didn't you fall asleep in a. In a draft interview?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes, with the Patriots.

[Host 1]

With Bill.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Bill, yeah. Bill told this story plenty of times. This story's been talked about plenty. But I was so tired, man, because, you know, draft process, I think it's the stupidest process as well. Like, you go from team to team. It's like you're on 15 flights in, like 15 days getting interviewed by all these teams. And the Patriots were my last one, and I was exhausted. I fell asleep, like the first 10 minutes I got there in the room that they put me in there, like, hey, we'll be right back. And I fell asleep on the spot when they came back in to check on me. And then I also bombed the interview process, but, like, bombed it in the best way possible.

[Host 2]

How do you bomb something in the best way possible?

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, like, for example, they drew a play on the board. Billy Go. And he's. And then he erased it. He's like, draw the play. What. What you got? What does everyone have? And it was one of the hardest plays. It's still a route that I still don't even understand. Old pack. It's like the receiver goes up, then down, back, like a comeback. And then he goes, takes off again, and he makes another comeback. Something, you know, way above.

[Host 2]

Feels like the longest progressing play of all time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Way above my, you know, my skill set. I don't run routes like that. I don't stop, go. Stop. Yeah. Too big to stop and go. And I was like, whatever. So he's like, redraw the whole play. And I was like, bro, like, I'm. I'm stuck. Like, I. I like, ground zero. I'm at, like. And I was like, you know something, though? Just throw me the ball still. And like, like, like, I was like that, like, that type of interview.

[Host 1]

Like, you just say this above.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'm so bomb that I would just come up with an insane answer like that.

[Host 2]

Yeah, just throw me the ball still.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, that's all I know.

[Host 2]

Were you ever, like, nervous in front of these coaches? Because to have that kind of, hey, just throw me the ball. Anyway, it just screams confidence. Confidence.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was never really nervous because.

[Host 1]

Are you standing up at the whiteboard with the marker in hand trying to think, like, what was the play, Drew? And then you're just like, hey, you

[Host 2]

got a double comeback. He's just talking about, like, I'm gonna

[Host 1]

be honest, I don't remember. But, yeah, just throw me the ball.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was cashed out, though. It was like, my 15th visit in, like, the last 15 days. I was cashed out.

[Host 2]

And were you? You said you had 15 visits. Of all the visits, like, which one did go the best?

[Rob Gronkowski]

It was probably about, like, eight visits or so. 15 was a little exaggerated, that'. But it's 15. Including the combine. Yeah. Met with 15 teams there. But, you know, I felt like they all went really smooth. You know, I was on point with them all. You know, the Cincinnati Bengals one. I was. I really wanted to be on point because we all knew that they were going to draft a tight end first round. And then they took Jermaine Gresham, but they were interviewing me like crazy. Now they had the 21st pick. I felt like I. I smacked everything right on the money with all the questions. My interviews at the combine, I felt like I did a great job and everything, but just overall, just bomb. The New England Patriots. One, like, bombed it, like, in the Worst way possible. Like I said, like, I. Like when Billy O. And Bill describe how the. How the official visit, or it's not the official visit, that's in high school, how the interview visit went. But, you know, and also at the time, like, there's so many players getting in trouble in the NFL. And I remember I called my brother, I was like this. I'm going to act like a complete idiot. I feel like it gets you, like, more chances, you know, because there was like five guys that were just arrested then they were signing big deals in the NFL.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

They're like, oh, that's a good way to think about it and look at it. Yeah, Use that theory, Rob. Go.

[Host 1]

And I did.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And it worked. It worked. That was when Pacman Jones was getting arrested all the time.

[Host 2]

Yeah, it was a crazy time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. And then he signed a big deal and I was like, yeah, I was like, if you freaking act like a fucking insane, you're gonna get picked up. So it's crazy. I went into the interview process like that and it worked.

[Host 2]

That is why.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Because you gotta be. You gotta be nuts. You got to be tapped in order to play in the NFL as well.

[Host 2]

I think. I think it depends on the position. Depends on the position, yes. Like, if you're a dn. A tight end, like wide receivers and corners, they have their own, like, cocky personalities or stereotypical cocky personalities. Quarterbacks, I feel like, have to be composed, calm, confident individuals. But. Yeah, like the psychotic tight end. Yeah, the psychotic tight end is. You made a name for the. For the brand.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You, You.

[Host 2]

You walked so the George Kittles could run because you got a whole bunch of different guys now crushing.

[Host 1]

He just got paid big time again.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. What is he, 31? 32. He just got paid. 31 years old, man. Yeah, 31. Getting paid. Trade like that. Well deserved. He's got a lot left.

[Host 2]

So when you're. You're at the draft, first round goes by. Were you, like, upset at all or were you like, we knew this was a possibility.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, I was upset. It's. My mom says that there's two times in my life that she's ever seen me upset. I forgot the second time we got to give her a call. If she told me, I would remember. Like, it would be like that. But she's. And the other time was not getting drafted in the first round while I was at the draft in New York City.

[Host 2]

Did you have all the cameras around you and everything?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Not really. You know, it wasn't really expected for me to go in the first round. It was the first time, I like to say this. I was infamously, you know, drafted as the first player going to New York as the first player getting drafted at the draft in the second round. So that's how I look at it as I started that trend. If you go to the draft, it's fine that you get drafted in the second round still. Yeah, I was the first player to that, to ever have that happen to. But there was also other ones after me as well that year that got drafted in the second and third round. But, you know, I was ticked off. I felt like I deserved to go in the first. That was always a goal of mine. But after I got picked by the New England Patriots in the second round and they traded up for me, I thought that was really cool. Getting traded up for, like, you know, it's unique and like you feel special about that situation. But once I got drafted, man, I didn't care one single bit anymore that, you know, I wasn't a first rounder. It was, it was a blessing. It was one of the best feelings of all time that, you know, could ever happen to you.

[Host 1]

Knowing that the expectation wasn't necessarily for you to go in the first round. What made you decide to still go to like, New York and be potentially around the cameras and everything when it's, it's a possibility that you might not go in the first round?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, I didn't really look at it as like, oh, I gotta be a first rounder because they draft, they, they actually brought in a lot of other players as well that were expected to go in the second round. So it wasn't like I was, was going to, you know, feel uncomfortable there.

[Host 1]

Got you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So there was like five other players that didn't get drafted yet. And it was, it's first year. Like, hey, we want first rounders and second rounders at the draft. We want to expand it. We want to show the inside, you know, for both rounds, not just the top 10 picks. So they expanded how many players they invited to the draft. And it was about like 25 guys there. So like 25 guys aren't going in the first round. That's too hard to be able to balance that to know who's going where. So I didn't care. I thought it was cool and balanced being, you know, 20 years old. You know, you look for the spotlight then, you know, and whenever you get an invite, you take it. You know, at that age now these days, you pick and choose like, oh, I gotta go do that in front of the camera, you're like, ah, whatever, you know, but when you're 20 years old, you love all those moments. You're never saying no at 20 years old. So I was definitely not gonna say no to that situation. And, you know, being at the draft, you know, that as a kid, that's all you look forward to, you know, watching all the players get drafted, like, that could be me. I just got the invite, you know, I was not gonna.

[Host 2]

Guys standing up there holding the jersey, shaking Goodell's hand.

[Host 1]

Exactly.

[Host 2]

That's badass.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, it is.

[Host 2]

It's awesome.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Really is.

[Host 2]

Did you. Did you plan the celebration that you did with your family? Because it is. It's got to be number one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It is epic. You know, it's still talked about to this day, definitely. But that's just how we were, you know. You know, that's how we party that the University of Arizona, we got around. Hoorah, jump up and down, get rowdy, all that good stuff. And whenever we get together as a family, it was just bringing energy and juice to the table. So we knew we're going to be celebrating, but not to the extent of, like, putting the helmets on, putting my hand down versus my brother, you know, getting in a circle and who ing all over the place. So that was just on the spot right there.

[Host 2]

That's so awesome, dude.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That was cool. It was good, man.

[Host 1]

You talked about comparing, like, saying that you're off the field, Life was just as important to you as on the field. Was that. How long did that carry into your NFL career? Career?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I would say just a couple years. I mean, I started realizing that football, you know, is definitely number one in my life and that football, you know, needs to be number one. Like, I can't be putting football aside. I can't be putting the training aside just because I want to go out, hang out with the friends, be busing with the boys at, you know, at whatever college I'm visiting my buddies at. Because. Because I left college early. So after my rookie year, all my friends were still in college, you know, so I'm visiting Miami, Ohio, which. Oh, my gosh. Going out there, dude, that place is crazy rocking, bro. I got my jersey up at Brick street still. I mean, I'm a legend there. I'm visiting the pool parties. Look at those pictures. So I'm going ham. At least I'm going so ham. I was getting exercise while I was going ham. I was staying in shape. I was burning. Burning at least a thousand to two thousand calories. Just dancing the Three, four hour period of going out. But I realized that football has to be number one, though. I mean, and football is going to sustain that, you know, the extra activities as well. And so if I keep the football, you know, activities and football, you know, skills at the highest level, everything else is always going to be there. I learned that about two, three years until we.

[Host 1]

What made you come to this realization? Was it a conversation with the teammate?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Just family member through experience.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Of showing up to football and. And being deteriorated and sucking.

[Host 2]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And. And being out of shape and wanting to puke and feeling like every single one of your muscles are gonna spasm out there on the field or pull and like. Yeah, it's like miserable. And you're like, yeah, I shouldn't be out here right now. And you got to work your way through it because you got to show that, you know, you're doing the proper things, you know? Yeah. But when. When you hit, you know, real life, when you hit that realization on the field of. Of it's not going well, you know, that's when, you know, you got to tune things up and you got to change whatever. Whatever you're doing. I mean, I'm sure you experienced that before at least once or twice.

[Host 1]

The realization that football has to be the main thing.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Oh, absolutely.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Everyone has pretty young for me, because I, you know, the hearing about the stories that you have, I just, I think in my head, like, I don't know how I would function as an athlete in college if I, like, my nightlife was just right there. I put as much into my nightlife as I did football. So I feel like it just wouldn't. I don't know, I feel like genetically it wasn't. It wouldn't have worked for me.

[Host 2]

Yeah. But hearing the way you talk about it, it sounds like you were like, practicing, and then after practice you're like, okay, what are we gonna do tonight? And for me, like, I partied a lot in college in my first couple years in the NFL, but it was always to me, like, I'd ask, like, in my brain, I'd be like, I'm not gonna go out this weekend. Then accidentally, all of a sudden, I'd be. It'd be 2am on a Saturday, and I'd be up at Losers or Rick's American Cafe in Ann Arbor. It seemed like you were like, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna work really hard at football so I can go party and get the most out of that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

There we go. That's exactly how it went, no doubt about it. And also going out in the partying, it wasn't, you know, throughout the week, it was only one night a week or maybe possibly two nights a week during the off season. It wasn't an everyday thing. If it was an every night thing, then I would definitely never be where I am right now now. So I always put that work in too. And then sometimes we're in the weight room and we would work harder, we would be pushing each other harder because we'd be like, hey, you got to look Jack tonight. You know, you got extra, you know, 20 crunches, extra minute on the plank, you know, extra set of the bench press. So that motivated you, that got you to where you needed to get to because then you felt like you deserved to go out that night too. So, you know, it was always in back of the mind, but it wasn't like, like, you know, a daily thing. If it was a daily thing. I've seen players go through the daily thing where they're going out, you know, throughout the week too. And I always knew too, as a kid, even in college, I'm like, no, I ain't touching that during the week. I ain't going out during the week. I need my sleep. You know, I need, I need to go to classes, obviously I need to be ready for practice. And then I always actually did it when I always knew I had basically had off the next day as well. Yeah, sometimes in the younger generation era, you would do it with practice still the next day at like 10am or 11, and you would just fight your, you know, fight your life. But majority of the time I would know I would have off next day as well to recover, rehydrate, and all the good stuff. So I was, I did all the, all the stupid, the smartest way possible.

[Host 2]

I feel that.

[Host 1]

Yeah, you grinded through it. Even in workout, it's like if I would be hungover, like, I remember a couple times where I'd be hungover. You try to have a late night and you work out the next day. And when I felt like I was on the verge of throwing up or my body feeling the way it did, it'd be like when you're on a knee listening to your coach talk, and I'll be just thinking in my head, I got it, I can't do this. Yeah, I can't, like continue.

[Host 2]

I can't. Yeah, that's always the second guess because when you go out, you're like, this is gonna be awesome. And then when you're Peak drunk. You're like, I'm gonna power through tomorrow. I'm gonna absolutely crush it. And the minute you get wake up the next day, you're like, I can never do that again.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

But then it goes like, it's Monday. You're like, I'm not drinking. I'm living my life like a saint. Now Tuesday comes by. You're like, just a good old boy. Wednesday, it's like, you know, Friday is right around the corner, and it is a lot of fun. Thursday is like, like, all right, one more weekend. And then we're solid. And then all of a sudden, it's Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday, you're like,

[Rob Gronkowski]

all right, you just hit that timeline perfectly, dude.

[Host 2]

Because that's what it is. You always have, like, the Sunday scariest. You're like. You've rethought your entire life, and you're like, this is it. This is the day I change who I really am. And then by Friday, you're back to being the same person over and over again. I can't imagine that first offseason you had after your first year in the NFL, because they. Because in college, it's like, back when you played, it was. You have, like, a week off at most, right? Two weeks if you don't make a bowl game.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, the best thing about it, too, was it was the lockout. We weren't even allowed to have an off season that year. So I had a true six months of just doing whatever I wanted to do. So I was going.

[Host 2]

Bill Belichick was his pants.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He really was. And that's when, like, kind of, like, videos were starting to surface on the Internet of me. I was back at the University of Arizona with the basketball players at a pool party, just going ape. I was visiting my friends, like you said in college. Miami, Ohio. I got to bring that place up again. I'm telling you. Spectacular place, if you're a young buck. Just the atmosphere that's presented there is just phenomenal and just everything else. I learned what Vegas was that year as well, after my rookie year.

[Host 2]

But this is like, I never had the biggest one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I never had the responsibility of going back and training, you know, up in New England, because we were locked out. We weren't allowed back there for the whole six months. And then I ended up, though, showing up and absolutely balling in training camp and having my breakout season where I scored, like, 21 touchdowns, including the playoffs, and, like, broke every record as a tight end. So I guess I can contribute it to do all my Dancing and all my partying, because I was moving. I'm talking my stamina was up there. I was staying loose, you know, just jiggling everything on my body. Just every type of motion you could possibly think of. Twerking to the extreme powers. It, like, I swear that's what got me through was just non stop movement. You know, you do the lifting. You know, they say you got to have that base, like, you know, foundation, the foundation of. Of, like your core of. Of being loose, flexibility and stamina, of the little muscles firing. And that's what got me the, you know, keep everything firing at a proper rate. Was all the dancing and all the movements, throwing your friends up in the air on top of lifting as well.

[Host 2]

Dude.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, right. I swear, though. I swear. I mean, I don't really do that, really. I, like, try to go out and, like, I dance for, like, five minutes and I'm like, how fuck was I dancing for three hours straight? I can dance for five minutes now. I'm like, all right, like, I can't dance any longer anymore.

[Host 2]

When did you realize that your party and your antics could become, like, a massive brand? Because now you have, like, Gronk beach, your brother, you and your brothers, you did the cruise. So you have. You have so many things that are revolved around a lot of things that used to get you in trouble. When did that transition happen where you're like, oh, I can actually make money doing this?

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, it kind of just happened naturally as well. It wasn't like I was doing it as, like, a scheme or a play or. Or, you know, to get, like, notoriety. Yeah, notoriety from it. Not at all, man. I was just being myself. What. What I've been doing since, you know, my college days and going into the NFL wasn't like, you know, anything was planned ever. I was just doing me. And then it just kept blowing up sometimes. And that's why I just kept doing me, because I'm like, I'm just doing me. Like, I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just having fun, you know? And then I really noticed a couple years into it, like, all right, like, this is starting to become something, because wherever I went, people experience, expected it, you know, and it was cool. It was cool as it was like, all right, I'm going out. It's going to be so turned up. You have the energy when you're in the 20s as well, to turn up the whole entire place, get on the bar, give everyone shots, all that good stuff. And I noticed that, you know, it could possibly be a brand. Like it's working. Even though I'm just being myself, it's working, it's blowing up. You know. At the same time though, I always knew that balling on the field was what the real accelerator was, was what the engine was, was balling on the field. Because like this guy's absolutely balling on the field, but he's going out with all the fans as well and just having a good time and going ham. And then, you know, eventually though, I kind of got over that kind of stigma, you know, because it was hard, you know, in your mid-20s, easily with the energy to keep up with it. But when I was starting to fade on the football field, that was becoming hard off the field too, because I was starting to back away from it big time because football was, you know, starting to get away from me and I didn't want football to get away from me. So I knew I had to start changing my lifestyle big time. So I would start picking and choosing when I'm going out, how much I'm going out then and all that good stuff because I, I wanted, you know, to be on top of my game for football. And now to this day, you know, it is a brand, you know, like a party brand. It really is. But I'm not even close to partying how I was partying back in the day. Day that 20 year old me, you know, got that brand to sustain all the way to this day. That's how ham I was going though back then. Yeah. And that's how much I was balling on the field. So, you know, it's cool. Like throwing Gronk Beach. I just pick and choose now like Gronk Beach. I'll go ham, but not like how I used to, you know, I don't want to drink as much as I used to either. It's. It's not good for you. It is poison. You know, I can't work out the next day to takes three days to recover. I'm really into health, you know, now and fitness. Obviously I've been my whole life, but just I'm always in for a good time. But I'm more of the guy now, you know, that likes to look like lay back and watch what's going on and join a little bit of the action but you know, not go too crazy.

[Host 1]

Not like your young self.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

What were the, what were like the coaching moments like with somebody like Bill Belichick? You talked about how like the Patriot way, how strict he was, how meetings could run like in the early days before it becomes a brand, are there any moments you're having in the facility with Coach Belichick before it like becomes a distraction or, hey, your brand or being more than the team? Was there like a transition there? Because obviously when you become Gronk and you're the man, you guys are winning Super Bowls, it's a lot more accepted because, you know, you're the man the Patriots are. You guys are winning football games. But in the early years, when you're coming back and these videos are surfacing, is there anything happening in team meetings with coach Bill?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Here's the thing. I always knew if I showed up and ball, I would be in good hands. Still, I'd be in good faith with the coaching staffing. Coach Belichick let a lot of things go. If you were balling on the field, he didn't care if you were out all night and showing up as long as you produce on that football field, he let everything go. It was fine. But the second you started dropping off, oh, you didn't want to be there. You didn't want to be in that meeting. You're getting called out. You're going to have, have a one on one meeting, like, hey, mother, like, what the fuck are you doing? I see you out. Like, you can't even, you know, come out to practice and get open versus our undrafted free agent. Like, so he would let you know and he would eventually let you know in front of the team too. He would call you out. So that's why, like, you always had to be on point when you enter that facility. And that's why I believe that going to that destination, you know, kept me on the grind too. Like, yeah, the nightlife and whatever you were doing outside of football. But the second you stepped in that building, like you had that motivation and that grind, like, oh, fuck, like I gotta absolutely dominate because I was out. Everyone saw it. And if I don't produce on this field, oh, fuck, it's gonna be a bad day for me. So that kind of got you to that level mindset like that. You got a ball.

[Host 1]

Did you ever have a moment with Bill where he had to check you in a one on one or a team meeting?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Not really. So Julian and I, we went out Memorial Day weekend. To Narragansett? No, not Narragansett, Nantucket. Narragansett's in Rhode Island. We went out to Nantucket for Fogawi weekend. We got absolutely, you know, hammered. We were on a golf cart. We were in the back. Julia and I doing our thing, and the golf cart lifted up in the air, the front tires, and we landed on the ground. And it was a video that surfaced. The Internet, it was classic. And I remember the next day or three days later, we go to whatever OTAs, running routes, and Bill came up to us again, and we were sweating all over. Please get all that out of your system. I saw you two idiots this weekend. You guys are fools. Keep running. Get it all out of you. So we were balling, though. We were out there. But coach always got you to that mindset. Hungover, not feeling so good when you hit that feeling field. That just the aura in New England that got you to that mindset of whatever is in your system. However you feel, get.

[Host 2]

Yay.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You better not feel that way. It's gonna get. It's gonna get you over it.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

When you hit that field, you talk

[Host 2]

about the aura right there.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Is that it? Is that the golf cart? Yeah, right there. There we are. Oh, the back of the golf cart broke. That's not good. This is, like, two months before the season.

[Host 2]

Is it really?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Really? Yeah. But Justin Timberlake loved it because that was the same night that we were. Yeah, right there. We were dancing to a song. This is the same night we were dancing to his song Gotta Feel it. What is it?

[Host 2]

Gotta feeling.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, Got a feeling.

[Host 2]

That's that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And we were rocking out. And then he tweeted that the same night. That is ladies degree a Playboy. So shout out to Justin Timber. That's what I knew. All right, I gotta keep going.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You see those dance moves? Now you see why I was getting over. Yeah, you're staying loose. Look at shimming all over the place.

[Host 2]

Look at that. What is it? The shuffle. You got something going there for sure.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Shimming, shimmy.

[Host 2]

You talk about the aura of. Of New England those first couple of years. Like, what was it like for you, picking up the playbook, understanding everything and knowing, like, what Tom wanted. Like, how demanding was Tom on you when it came to the playbook and

[Rob Gronkowski]

stuff like that, bro, that's why I didn't play, like, my first eight games, because I didn't really know the playbook like. Like that I had the skills, I had the talent, you know, but they didn't trust me. I even had some great, you know, highlights in the preseason that year. I had, like, three touchdowns, dragged Lauren Nytis into the end zone. You. Like, I showed some talent. Like, I showed some bursts. I showed, like, what the type of player I could be. But then, like, practice would come. Still And I would be up tremendously. Like, I would have five great plays, and I would have five terrible plays. I'd be blocking the wrong guy. I'd be running the wrong route. And when you're at that level, no matter how good you are, if they can't trust in you doing the right thing, well, you're not going to play in New England. They don't give a fuck how good you are. They're not going to play you. And they let me know that. And the first eight games, I only had about 15 to 20 snaps per game I was playing. And it would only be the true plays that they would trust in me. They say, hey, here's the 20 plays that, you know, we trust in you with these 20 plays. We'll call you in personnel when we're going to call these plays. I do, like 20 plays a game. Game. And then all of a sudden, I'm. I'm balling, though. I'm still showing that potential, you know, and they're like, you. We're not putting you out on that field until, like, we can truly trust in you. Same with Tom. You know, Coaching staff, Billy O. Bill. And then finally, like, I was struggling because the playbook was totally different from college. At college, I lined up on the right every single play. I had, like, five routes. You know, we had, like five blocking plays, run place and kaboom. Like, I learned the playbook in one day. Day. I mean, you get to New England, you got a playbook like that. You got 55 different formations. I gotta line up on the left. I gotta line up in slot. There's 50 different calls in the run game. I'm like, 50 different calls in the run game. Arizona, we had five different run calls, you know.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So I couldn't get up the pace. And then finally, like, week eight, week nine, all of a sudden, just everything clicked. You know that feeling when you're like, okay, I got this. I know everything in the playbook. Not everything, but it. Like, I know enough now. And then I was showing them on the practice field, like, hey, I'm consistent now. I'm balling. Like, I'm doing the right things, and then I'll play. You know, I talked about plenty of times. There's. There's a play versus Chicago Bears versus Erlacher that I had to body him up. And I did it in practice on Friday. And they're like, we're going to call this play, and you got. You better be ready for it. And then it was versus Erlacher. Had to, you know, get big on him in the end zone, one yard into the. Into the end zone, turn on him, use my body, and then, boom, there's the ball. Did it in practice. Replicate it in the game versus Erlacher. Box. Box him out, Tom. Put the ball right there and I caught it. And ever since then, the trust just went through the roof. And I played every single play after that. So the playbook, you know, to you rookies out there, get in the playbook, that's the first thing. It doesn't matter how good you are, if you don't know the playbook plays. If you're thinking on the field, you're not going to play. You're not going to be the best player that you can possibly be. So get in the playbook and know those plays right from the beginning.

[Host 1]

What was Tom Brady like through these growing pains your rookie year?

[Rob Gronkowski]

He was an my rookie year. He really was. He was like Mr. Bill Belichick's son at that time. I swear he was Mr. Patriot at that time, but. And he was on my ass, though. But, you know, know, I see why, though. You know, I. I really see why he saw the potential in me, too. I remember one time I ran a flag route, and he always wanted me to go outside of the defender and, like, I didn't have the fluidity to get outside of him when he was like 2 yards outside of me and try to get open. So I always try to go right inside of him, make a little move and try to get open the flag route, even though he's playing outside, and he's like, I'm never going to throw you the ball. Actually, I'm never throwing you the ball ever again. Again. He said that in meeting room after I went. I went inside on the flag, but he told me five times already to get outside, at least show that I'm trying to get outside, but I'm like, it was too hard for me at that time. Like, I couldn't comprehend it, you know, the way that my body was moving. I just couldn't do it. And then after he said that, then that kind of clicked in me, too. Like, oh, I got to really try to show him that I'm getting outside and just. Just to have a quarterback to be that hard on you at the beginning, though, as a young boy, Buck, you know, it can definitely deteriorate you a little bit. But he saw all that potential because then right after he would say something like that, he'd be like, yo, stay after me with practice. Let's let's, let's run this route 20 times. Let's get you on the same page. You have to finally click. I'm going to keep going until you click. So he was really, really hard on me, but I see why. And, and I respect it to the highest T. And I'm so glad that he was that hard on me as well, because we would have never gotten to the page and the chemistry that we were at at if he wasn't that hard on me. And that's what makes him probably, you know, well, the greatest player of all time. Because it wasn't his skill set, you know, it wasn't his ability to do, you know, what he does on the football field. It was, it was also the ability to bring the best out of his teammates around him.

[Host 2]

With, with Tom, it seems like his two main guys throughout his career were like, you and Edelman or just like, kind of like his core guys all the time. At what point did you feel like, all right, I'm really in Tom's power pack? Because a guy like that, of that super stardom, Dayton models, marrying the models, like, he seems like he's like one of the first guys in the NFL to be like above the NFL. And for you to be like in that group with him, was there like a moment where you're like, okay, I'm, I know I'm Tom's guy now, kind of that moment.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, my rookie year, you know, I felt like I got in the pack like after that play versus early, but I wasn't truly in it yet. You know, we had Wes Welker as well.

[Host 1]

I mean, the postseason is upon us and there's really nothing like it. But the postseason can be stressful. Crushing losses, wild upsets, your unhinged six game parlay falling apart at the literal last second. Things can get rough and it can leave you feeling a little sour. But you gotta look at the bright side. Once your team is out and headed to decompress, you can finally relax. Now you can actually enjoy the postseason with all of the heart palpitations. That's why we're partnering with Jim Beam. We want to help you turn that lemon of a loss into delicious, tasty Jim Beam and lemonade. Because it's really the perfect bevy for the offseason. It's refreshing, it's got the perfect sweetness and a little bit of tang on your tongue. Best paired with stress free watching when your team is out. So gather the boys and grab some Jim Beam and lemonade to make the rest of the postseason just a little bit sweeter. Refresh your season with Jim Beam and lemonade best enjoyed together. Please drink responsibly. Jim Beam Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey 40% alcohol by volume 2025. James B. Beam Distilling Co. Clermont, Kentucky what do you do when the headlines

[Ben Higgins]

don't explain what's happening inside of you? I'm Ben Hate Higgins, and if you can hear me is where culture meets the soul, A place for real conversation. Each episode I sit down with people from all walks of life, celebrities, thinkers, and everyday folks, and we go deeper than the polished story. We talk about what drives us, what shapes us, and what gives us hope. We get honest about the big stuff. Identity when you don't recognize yourself anymore Loss that changes changes you purpose when success isn't enough Peace when your mind won't slow down. Faith when it's complicated. Some guests have answers. Most are still figuring it out. If you've ever felt like there has to be more to the story, this show is for you. Listen to if you can hear me on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amanda Knox]

In 2023, a story gripped the UK evoking horror and disbelief.

[Host 2]

The nurse who should have been in charge of caring for tiny babies is now the most prolific child killer in modern British history.

[Amanda Knox]

Everyone thought they knew how it ended. A verdict. A villain. A nurse named Lucy Letby.

[Host 1]

Lucy Letby has been found guilty.

[Amanda Knox]

But what if we didn't get the whole story?

[Rob Gronkowski]

The moment you look at the whole picture, the case collapses.

[Amanda Knox]

I'm Amanda Knox, and in the new podcast the Case of Lucy Letby, we follow the evidence and hear from the people that lived it. To ask what really happened when the world decided who Lucy Letby was. No voicing of any skepticism or doubt.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It'll cause so much harm at every single level of the British establishment of this is wrong.

[Amanda Knox]

Listen to Doubt the Case of Lucy letby on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rob Gronkowski]

China's Ministry of State Security is one of the most mysterious and powerful spy agencies in the world. But in 2017, the FBI got inside. This is Special Agent Riegel, Special Agent Bradley Hall.

[Host 2]

This MSF officer has no idea the US Government is onto him. But the FBI has his chats, texts, emails, even his personal diary. Hear how they got it on the Sixth Bureau podcast?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I now have several terabytes of an MSS officer. No doubt.

[Host 1]

No question of his life. And that's a unicorn.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No One had ever seen anything like that. It was unbelievable. This is a story of the inner workings of the MSS and how one man's ambition and mistakes opened its vault of secrets.

[Host 2]

Listen to the 6th Bureau on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Randy Moss, you know, just got traded in my rookie year, so he was in that pack as well. Dion Branch got traded back, like, he was in that pack, Even though he left for a little bit with the Seahawks Hawks, we had a couple other players as well that I could see that he truly trusted and that he truly looked to. And I would say I truly entered. That was my second year when I blossom, and that was my absolute goal as well. We talked about, yeah, having that lockout, but in me going ham for six months straight, but also in back of my mind, football was always there, and I always wanted to be the greatest. And I remember calling my agent, Drew Rosenhaus. I said, I'm gonna be the greatest tight end this season. Watch. And he's like, oh, okay. I mean, he's like, you got Antonio Gage, you got Jason Wayne. I'm like, no, I'm telling you, I'm gonna be the greatest tight end this year. And, like, I had that as a mindset, and I'm gonna be on the same page as Brady. I get what he wants now. And then going into that training camp, everything was just clicking, and I entered that pack of that trust because I get that trust from Brady and the coaching staff. You have to be a consistent, consistent player. I don't care. You can show a burst of going deep and making an amazing play, but if you can do that one out of every 10, I mean, you're not in that pack. You're not going to have that trust. So I showed that trust going into my second year, and then that's when it just all truly started clicking and. And it lasted for 10 more years straight.

[Host 1]

How did that. Was it always respect from Tom when he's hard on you in those moments, like your rookie year, are you thinking, like, this dude's a. I thought he was. Where you're kind of resistant to, like, hey, let's stay after practice and do 20 reps. And you're just like, man, all right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, I thought he was an asshole for sure at first. You know, he. I'm telling you, he was Mr. Patriot my rookie year.

[Host 2]

Like.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Like, he was. He was Bill 2.0. I swear, like, I'm like, man, this guy zero fun. Zero fun. Like, zero. Like, but. But I kind of understood it at the same time, not to the full extent, you know, but once you're in the.

[Host 1]

Like, once you're in, you're growing, you're progressing, you're getting better, you're thinking, all right, this is the. This is where I need to kind of buy. Yes.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And then once I bought in, too, he loosened up as well. Like, he just wanted me to buy in and get rid of all that that was going on on the outside or. Or me not paying attention to the meetings or me not doing what I need to do out on the football field. Because he saw it in me. Like, he sees. He sees potential in players. He knows players inside and out. Like, he can watch film time. He can break down a player's strength. He can break down their weakness. He can break down how to get open versus what you got to do. He can even break down a defensive lineman, like, and know their strengths and how to block a defensive lineman. He knows the game of football like that. And that's what makes. Made him so great, obviously. So he knew what I needed to do out on the football field. And when I started finally doing it, when it started clicking to me, me. And I was starting to truly understand, that's when that relationship really blossom. And he, you know, he was less hard on me. I mean, still to this day, he's hard on his players. I mean, even once you get that relationship going, because he wants that relationship to keep building, you know, but it wasn't like my rookie year. You know, rookie year was tough at some points, but I saw why, and I'm. I'm so blessed, and I'm so thankful that he was like that. I needed it. Put it that way, I needed it.

[Host 1]

How hard was were they on Julian Edelman? I just listened to Bill Belichick on the pivot. Seems like they were extremely harder. Coach Belichick was extremely hard on Julian when he got to New England.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, he was a year before me, so I didn't really see his rookie year like that.

[Host 2]

That dog is not sleep apnea.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's a good boy, though. He knows we're working. He knows we're working.

[Host 1]

He feels safe.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, he feels safe. He's just relaxing. That's a good boy right there. So. But later on, if we keep going, he'll eventually let us know, like, hey, hey, you humans. Hey, humans, it's my turn. Throw me the ball. But he's a good boy. But Julian was absolute dog, and they love getting under his skin. If you got under Julian's skin. It brought the best out of him. And I would say same with myself, you know. And that's why they're hard on players there. Coach Belichick knew how to get in play into players minds, even if it was in the most way. You know, that's why we respect it so much and we appreciate it, you know, to this day day because he was really trying to make you the best player that you could possibly be. And he was trying to bring the best out of you. And he sure did it. Even though whatever way he was doing it, you know, it, it could have been vicious, you know, it could have been like, yo, I'm about to trade you. Like he could have just been making it up and then you would go absolutely balls, you know, out in the practice field in game. So he knew how to bring the best out of players, especially the ones that he knew wanted it. And Julian was a guy that wanted it and he brought the best out of Julian and whatever techniques he was doing to get under Julian's skin, dude,

[Host 2]

you, I mean obviously receiving wise, that's where you get paid. It's probably the most fun for you. But from a blocking standpoint, you see so many clips of you like throwing a Chipbock on trail Suggs and like sending him into the bleachers. That kid, the safety from the Colts on the goal line, sending him all the way to the, to the sideline, stuff like that. Tell me no white T shirts in the car club. Where did the mindset come with the blocking? Was it always really important to you or did you learn early like this is how you become like a complete tight end?

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, it was always important to me. Ever since my high school days playing football. I always just took pride in the blocking game. I really did. I remember in high school it was before like all the blindside blocks, you know, got banned, which was a good thing. You know what I'm talking those crack, crack back blocks. You took more pride in high school when you absolutely leveled some someone than say scoring a touchdown. I'm talking the touchdown was cool, you celebrate. But the whole sideline would go absolutely bonkers if you took someone up and just planted them on the ground or you blindsided someone and just flat blacked them and basically put them in the hospital. So that mindset was always there to just be the biggest dog, to be the, you know, to be the strongest dog out on the field and to be tossing people around. Tossing people around felt like the manly thing, the be in the game of football. Yeah, catching Touchdowns was cool. That came with it, but that wasn't what you wanted to showcase. It was, how far can you take someone and just embarrass them and just show them who the fuck is boss. So that started, you know, in high school. I maybe say it would say as a kid, though, that toughness, because I was getting beat the shit out of from my three older brothers and their friends at all times. And they would pick on me and I would just come right back at them. So that mindset started then and then in high school. School my senior year, I only had eight catches. My senior year in high school as a tight end, and we ran the ball 52 out of 52 plays one time. And it didn't matter because we were dominating. We won the game. Like 30 nothing. I would just take guys, drive them back five yards, plant them at one time in high school, picked up a guy, brought him off the sidelines 10 yards and threw him over the fence. It was kind of like the play, the Sergio Brown play, but instead I took the guy up in the air at 10 yards and threw him over

[Host 2]

this one right here.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And we. No, yeah, just like that one. But then I took the guy and threw him over the fence. And I school and we just took so much pride in that. Like, it wasn't about catches, wasn't about touchdowns. So that translated into college. And everyone respected it. Everyone respected me a lot more because I wasn't the guy just looking for touchdowns. I was the guy when it came to whatever, seven on seven. What's it called when you nine on seven, nine on seven run period. That I'd be showing up and it was all about how, how, how badass can you be in the run game and how, you know, how hard can you block the DN and make a hole for your running back?

[Host 2]

Dude, there is something about having a tight end that knows how to do like a trade block or a triple block and knows where the right fit is, where to put his hands. It makes your life so much easier.

[Rob Gronkowski]

The best feeling, dude, to this day, you know, when people show my highlights, I don't give a fuck. Like, the catching highlights and touchdowns. I'm like, cool, whatever. I won't even look. I'll be like, that's cool. But when I see a blocking play of my mine, I rewind that thing every time.

[Host 2]

Every rock hard on just watching that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I remember Stephen Ridley, he was running back, my good friend. He beat Kevin Hart in a race like two years ago. And Kevin Hart blew out his hamstring so the NFL. Do you guys remember that a little bit?

[Host 1]

No.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He blew out his abdominal. And then the NFL was, you know, showed. Oh, ex player Steven Ridley, you know, blows away Kevin Hart in a race. Kevin Hart blows up that. Phenomenal. So then what did they do? The NFL took all of Steven Ridley's highlights, and they put them up on NFL.com or whatever, their Instagram page, and guess what? There I was, blocking, and I sent it to Ridley. I said, look at that block for you. I'm like, I love the blocking highlights. And I'm. I'm, like, surprised with myself because I don't really remember. Like, it was just a natural thing I would do, you know? Know. And I didn't really notice how important it really was. It was just part of my personality. Like, that's what I did. I blocked. But when I go back and I watch me block, like, when I was in my heyday, like, the first four years, man, I was tossing dude. And I didn't really realize it, that I was really doing it like that. Like, I was doing it like that. So I'll always rewind a block, and I'll always make sure that people see all the blocks when they're up on the TV screen, catches, whatever that with the.

[Host 2]

With the game. Wait, were you a guy that, like, talks during a game, or you kind of just keep to yourself, and if somebody talks to you, you turn it up on them a little bit.

[Rob Gronkowski]

There we go. I love when people talk to me. Like, brought me to a whole nother level. And that's what happened with the Sergio.

[Host 2]

That's what I was gonna ask the

[Rob Gronkowski]

whole entire game, just yapping at me. And we're friends. Like, we were friends, like, in New England. I'm like, bro, like, I'm getting open on you guys, too, and we're dominating you, but just kept going and going and going. And finally he just triggered me, and I just was like, I'm off the next blocking play I get. I'm gonna just. Just keep going and going and going.

[Host 2]

How long was that? I'm gonna. I'm gonna get him when I get the chance.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's just chirping. He was chirping the whole time.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

There was Dable. You saw Dable there? Head coach of the Giants now. He loved it, too. There he is right there, D. Oh, he was all right.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Good grunk. How many plays? So this guy's tripping at you, getting after you, saying, whatever. How many. How long after was that block for you where you're like, okay, I'm gonna take this kid to the absolute s. Oh.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was going. I didn't care. I. I knew the play was over too. Like, I saw the running back scored a touchdown. Oh, what's the name again? He had three touchdowns that came in like 250 yards.

[Host 2]

You said like 50 running backs.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No. And then we cut him like two weeks later because.

[Host 1]

Jonas.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, Jonas. I love so many running backs. I just couldn't think of who it was.

[Host 2]

You guys had a lot of running backs.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I. I saw him score right behind me too. And I was like this. I'm still going. I was just over him. He was just talking the whole time.

[Host 2]

Time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And I just like, I'm gonna. I'm just gonna go until he collapses and then boom. Finally.

[Host 2]

God, that juices.

[Host 1]

That right there is why I never wanted to talk.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Just to like, if you're going against a good player, you're just. I'm always like complimenting. I'm complimenting their great, great.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This. I hated that. I'm like, this guy's too nice. Like, I don't want to get.

[Host 1]

It's not all. Yeah, it's when you have a lax. Just like, hey, you're playing a hell of a game out here just to like, you never want that trigger to go off on somebody because you just never know you ain't trying to be on a highlight.

[Host 2]

No, I feel you. I mean, you're on. You're grog. How do you feel about this?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, man, look at that.

[Host 1]

That's a.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's you 51, correct. Yeah, you got me. Solo tackle. But that's a nice flat route, though. Look at the speed I had back then. I wish I had that speed still, though, man. Look at me come out of the back. Was that coming out of the backfield or was that just a flat route position or did I. Yeah, I'm flying right there. See, I out angled you. That's how fast I was back then. That should have been. If you were playing true technique football as a linebacker, that should have been a two yard catch.

[Host 1]

You're.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You're 100% just. I just beat the zone. Beat the zone.

[Host 1]

I think we were a man there.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So it makes it even worse.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You made up for it. You made up. Oh, right there, look. It should have only been 4 yards, but will couldn't close the gap fast. Holy. I'm on the same page still. And that was. That was June 23, 2023. All right, so that wasn't that long ago. But still, that was a nice tackle. He got attacked.

[Host 2]

A lot of other men have failed trying to do that.

[Host 1]

100. And there's a photo where it's captured from. From Rob's angle to where it looks like he just. I mean, he does stiff army, but it looks like they have a great angle to where that should. You get, like, posterized for getting stiff

[Host 2]

on now, I know, I know Gronk's a guest on our show, but if you're in, man, cover average. Are you fearful of this man? Because he's not. Like, he wasn't the shiftiest guy in the world and you had some speed back then. This is.

[Host 1]

Oh, yeah, he's massive, you know. Yeah. You know, he uses the stiff arm well.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So. Yeah, absolutely.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, yeah, There it is. Look at that pick. Oh, man. I still got me, though.

[Host 1]

I see that picking up.

[Host 2]

You gotta break that down. You gotta break that down.

[Host 1]

And I gotta chop.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was on the sideline, so I knew that you had sideline help, so I didn't really try my hardest.

[Host 1]

I wanted you to catch the ball because I wanted to pad my stats.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Was there a.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Works for both of us first down, but you got a tackle. Solo tackle.

[Host 2]

Too right. Pulling the film by comp. We got to fix the angle here a little bit, but, hey, way to get him down when he got him.

[Host 1]

A lot of guys fail on that stiff.

[Host 2]

A lot of guys fail.

[Host 1]

Before I got. I want to ask. I got to ask. You were the same position group, same age Page. What was it like around Aaron Hernandez?

[Host 2]

I was just gonna get into that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's. Oh, really?

[Host 1]

Like, in your mind or you're like, all the stuff that comes out about him now, like, going back to those moments around him, are you kind of thinking in your head, like, I'm not in this world too much, but there's, like, some. There's like, some that this guy's into off the field that I don't necessarily even want to know because there was.

[Host 2]

We. We heard stories about, like, him being in the team meeting room, like, beating off and, like, doing crazy.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I mean.

[Host 2]

And honestly, if. If you don't want to talk about we.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's a possibility. That one. I may or may have not seen it live.

[Host 2]

No.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I'm not. Completely. Definitely.

[Host 2]

Yeah. At the time, you're just thinking to yourself, man, this guy really deny.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But I. I mean, I love crazy, though. So, like, I. I didn't mind things like that. I was like, wow. Like, that was pretty epic. Like, I was a wild man, myself. So like, I was like nothing phased me. I was like, I encouraged it, but like never, I mean, I mean, let me first off, unbelievable football player, man. You're talking about the playbook. Me struggling with the playbook. That guy knew the plays inside and out, the run game and pass game and like the first two weeks being in New England while I struggled with it all the way until like week eight, you know. And he was balling right from the beginning. He was a basketball player, player out on the football field. That's what he was. With his size, he could run. He was, he was, at one point he was lining up at running back and having 30 plus yard runs while I was black.

[Host 1]

I mean, you guys could be a 12 personnel and be in any type of formation.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes. You're the best combination at the tight end position of all time. And that second year proves it. I mean we had like what, 2300 yards combined and like 28 touchdowns between just him and I, including playoffs and regular season. That's unheard of. Like ain't, ain't no other tight end combo ever going to have 1500 yards combined like ever again. Possibly, or maybe like 1600 yards. So we went like 2800 and like 28 touchdowns, which is just absurd. But there's a lot of craziness. Definitely. But I didn't mind it. Like I said I loved it and then I didn't see, you know, it going to the level that it went to. I didn't see that happening. Like, that was a surprise. It was a surprise to everyone because you would never expect anyone, you know, especially being in that position to have it go to the level that it went to.

[Host 1]

And you're learning about this stuff with, when all the, whether it's documentaries shows coming out about it, you're learning that then and you're like, I didn't really know it was that bad.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I didn't know it was that bad. I mean, I, I knew that, you know, there was definitely some wild sides to him. But with everything coming out, there's, there's some that I would say is true in the documentaries that come out. There's some that's probably exaggerated a little bit, but there's some that's not exaggerated at all either. I'm not going to talk about like what topics it was and everything, but I mean, it was wild, man. I, I, I was the guy that was truly there throughout his whole career, like in the same room the whole entire time as him. But it's unfortunate though, what happened because the talent was just.

[Host 2]

Just.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Just through the roof, man. Through the roof. And if we could have kept our tandem going, yeah, we would have been just truly unstoppable. But, yeah, that's really all I got on that. Yeah, saw. Saw some of it. But you didn't know it was, like, to that extreme and not surprise either now, either. Like, it's like, okay, that makes sense now.

[Host 1]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host 2]

When you guys were at practice, he got charged when you guys were at practice or like the. Like you guys practiced that day, correct?

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, it was an offseason. It was actually. It was. Was. Yeah, it was during the summer when no one was actually at the facility.

[Host 2]

And what. Like, when. When you found out, were you, like, at first, like, there's no way this is possible, or were you, like, that's a tough question to ask. What was your thought process when you heard he was charged?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, he didn't get charged until, like, after the fact that it all came out, correct. Yeah. Yeah. So, like, when I first kind of, like, what was the thought process when I first heard about, you know, the situation, the real situation, where it was like, all right, this is trouble, you know, Surprised, shocked, big time. Sad, a little bit. Like, no. Like, no way. Like, also disappointed, you know, like. Like, why would you do that? Like, like, why would. Like, what's going on? We got the whole. Whole world in front of us. We got the world by the balls, especially, you know, you and I as a tandem, like, we got the best team out there, everything. So it was. It was shocking, you know, it was sad as well. You know, once. Once you really realize what truly happened.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, man.

[Host 1]

How was Bill Belichick, aside from what you get to see, whether he's in press conferences, the coaching side, the art of winning book, like, what's he like, kind of off the field or away? Because I think there's a story. Story where he showed up hammered to Randy Moss's. One of his costume parties or like a Halloween.

[Host 2]

Halloween party.

[Host 1]

What's a. What's another. What's a fun side of Bill Belichick?

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, here's something that a lot of people really don't know is that he never really cracks jokes, you know, and he's always got that serious face in team meetings, but every once in a while, like, once every two weeks, he would just come in with an absolute banger, bro. I'm talking banger. And he would actually have a smile on his face right after he. He would just drop some knowledge or some, you know, over the Top joke that just landed every time with the team. And everyone would just be on the ground this dying, laughing. It was so. It was always vicious too. The joker or whatever. The knowledge was always vicious. But when he came in with that, it always lightened the mood. It was every. It was once in a blue moon. But when he did do that, man, it was good. We all appreciated it.

[Host 1]

You ever get to, you ever party with Bill? He ever partake in the Gronkowski dances?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Actually he showed up to the first Gron beach ever. When I first retired, it was in Miami. It was at that super bowl like five, six years ago. And he showed up to that Gronk beach which was really cool. But other than that, he was there for like five minutes. He's like, yeah, this isn't really for me. Yeah, yeah, we were going.

[Host 2]

Just him showing face, I bet meant a lot.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Him showing face, really.

[Host 1]

Get the shirt off, let's go.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, he's great. But I think he loves, he's, he loves the party scene more than ever right now actually. Parties. I mean he's not like he's rocking out, I mean, but he's there, you know, he's doing his thing and you know, he's loosened up big time ever since he, he left being a head coach in the NFL, which is cool to see.

[Host 2]

Were you surprised about that? Him loosing up after he became a head coach after he left the NFL?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Definitely, definitely surprised. I thought he would keep that mantra even like going on to whatever, you know, he was going to do next after the NFL. I'm sure he probably has that mantra while coaching, you know, the Tar Heels. But like on the outside of everything else, I was definitely surprised when he started joining, you know, social media. You know, he joined the media game and he was more loose, you know, cracking more jokes, smiling more when he was making all his appearances on all the shows that he was on. But it was really good to see like I was happy for him and you know, it was a different side that everyone got to see too. But the knowledge he drops as well is, is always accurate to too knows. Knows the game of football inside and out better than anyone else out there.

[Host 1]

What's it like seeing all the headlines with the Jordan stuff, with knowing Coach Belichick as this no nonsense coach and seeing all the like theatrics that have kind of came with on the outside looking in like with him at North Carolina.

[Host 2]

A guy that's all about eliminating distractions.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So that, that's a little surprising. To me, because he was all about eliminating distractions. And like, it's kind of. I mean, we can't really say if it's a distraction yet or not because. Well, no. In the win loss column.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This year, if he wins every game or. Or puts up eight wins this year at unc, well, then there was no distractions at all. The distractions.

[Host 2]

He might actually. Yeah, he's a true goat.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Sometimes fuels him. I mean, how much, you know, crazy did he deal with in New England? From, you know, Tom's things to Hernandez to me, you know, in some situations to just a lot of other things that were going, going on. And we would just go out there and win constantly at a, you know, at a rate that's never been seen before and win Super Bowls, even though there was things going on the outside, you know, that didn't, you know, that were trying to distract us but wouldn't get to us because we would block it all out. But. But still, if there was something going on and it was just like just bickering, you know, at the team and like everyone had a deal with it, he would kind of say something, you know, like, hey, kind of like amp it down a little bit, you know,

[Host 1]

like you have the one on one media.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Like, like this is going on. Like, can you just kind of diffuse the situation? So I kind of feel like he's not diffusing the situation at all when it could be diffused a little bit more. And it's becoming a distraction to the whole entire program at the University of North Carolina a little bit. So it kind of goes against that. But like we said, he's also loosened up tremendously and he's kind of a, you know, change, changed, you know, personality since being a coach in the NFL. But just overall, I think like football needs to come. Once football comes, you know, I'm excited to see how all that goes. You know, I'm kind of getting annoyed about all these other things that's talked about with Bill right now. It's like, let's see this guy coach. You know, if this guy dominates. Well, then let it could be.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And if he loses out right from the beginning and he's one in three, that could be a serious problem.

[Host 2]

Yeah. If he starts out one and three, you need to fly up to North Carolina and have a one on one meeting with him. We gotta eliminate these distractions.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'll have University of North Carolina hire me as like the president of all sports.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Just so I could be his boss.

[Host 2]

Don't Tell Bill, hey, the president wants to meet you. You're in there and be like, I'm your boss.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'm sorry.

[Host 1]

Gronk, Tom, and Edelman all fly.

[Host 2]

All above them, too. They all have to be above them.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Eliminate the distractions.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Come on, now.

[Host 2]

What are we doing out here?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

You want to win or not? Like, that's what we got to focus on.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We'll see. We'll see what happens, you know? Yeah, we'll see what happens.

[Host 2]

One in three. I'm going for him, though.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'm pulling from the way. It'll be great for football. It'll be great for college football.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Be like the Dion effect, you know? Yeah. Like, how much better? Like, no one watch Colorado. It's like no one watched unc. Like, everyone tuned in.

[Host 2]

Everyone will be tuned into UNC for sure. When Tom and Bill end up breaking up. Tom, you. You go with Tom to Tampa Bay. From your vantage point, what did you see happening there on the inside between their relationship? Because you were saying in the beginning of. Of your career, Tom sitting there as baby Bill Belichick. He's Bill Belichick's son, essentially. And then they get to the end, you hear about how they're not really getting along culturally. They think that they're going different directions. Elections, Tom, inevitably, you guys lose to the Titans in 2019, ending your dynasty.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And then I was retired.

[Host 2]

You're right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's why I did dynasty.

[Host 2]

Do you think so?

[Rob Gronkowski]

You think you would have won that game?

[Host 2]

What do you.

[Host 1]

What did you.

[Host 2]

What did you see happening between them and that breakup?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, yeah, like. Like I said, I mean, I was surprised. I mean, if you go all the way. Way back to my rookie year, it was definitely like, a different mindset or positioning that Tom was in. Like, he. Like I said, he was like Bill Belichick's son my rookie year. But I would say. I mean, I really can't talk for Tom or Bill, like, on how the relationship. But I would just say what kind of really happened was that Tom was probably growing older, you know, and was like, you know, wanting to freelance more, I would say, doesn't have to be treated like a rookie. And it was still going on. On. And I would say he was getting over that situation, even though it was kind of like that, you know, my rookie year.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And he. He was, you know, guys, 35 years old now 36, and doesn't need to be treated like arguably the goat. Yeah. Probably already the greatest of all time. It doesn't need to Be treated like a rookie, you know. And I would say the tension started feuding over things like in that situation between them too. That's kind of like how I, how I saw in a way. And then eventually actually neither of them were gonna, you know, you know, twitch or.

[Host 1]

Yeah, like bend the knee or.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Bend the knee. Yeah, bend the knee. So the tension just started heating up, I would say. And eventually, you know, the divorce happened. But details or what they were truly thinking, you would have to ask one of them. But from an outside perspective, like player, I would say that's kind of how the case, you know, kind of started and ended.

[Host 1]

When those topics are getting talked about in the media, is it when we're like, oh, yeah, this is going to come to. To the surface sooner or later.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. And then it's also like, wow, it took that long for it to come to the surface as well. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes the media is right. It's like, wow, it took them that long. But then sometimes it's like, wait, they're already way ahead of the game. How do they already know that it was that that was already coming to the surface? Or they would come up with something that was even up to the surface and was never going to come up to the surface. But there's some things where it's like, whoa, it took them that long and you're surprised. You know, now with media these days, when media doesn't catch on to something, it takes a while to get out. You're surprised with that.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

What it was. What were the conversations that took place to get you out of retirement and into Tampa?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, everything had a, you know, check out for me. It wasn't just one situation that was gonna, you know, get me out of retirement. First off, I had to be feeling good again. I was really be beat up, you know, those last two years in New England. And it was getting tough on me, you know, playing on a weekly basis, like the Sunday game. I couldn't recover until like Saturday, the following Saturday and then the practice and all that, it was just becoming miserable. I mean, everyone experiences that and that's why everyone retires eventually. Because if you weren't experiencing that and you experiencing the joy of like playing like when you were in 23, why the would you retire? You know what I mean? So when it gets. Starts getting miserable and hard, hard, you know, that's when you want to walk away from the game. And that's what I did. But I was really beat up too. But I was like, you know, you're kind of evolving, you know, throughout your whole career. I evolved, found different situations, you know, to recover. Also different workouts, you know, that can keep me on top of my game. Also kind of needed a different scenario, you know, different program, you know. So when Tom went to Tampa, we just talked about it a little bit bit. My mom lived down there. I love Florida. Totally different organization. Felt more laid back. Definitely put the work in, but still more laid back. Like a country club. They wanted me as well. Tampa. It wasn't just Tom wanted me. The organization called me up too and they're like, yeah, we definitely want you be a part, you know, of the Buccaneers family. I was feeling good as well and felt like I had more left in the tank. So every box checked off. And then obviously with Tom going down there to have that chemistry and just keep it going on in the new program, so everything just, you know, you know, pled my way and I pulled the trigger to do it.

[Host 1]

And there it seems it sounds like they're willing to like cater around your expectation, what you wanted physically to like what your body needed, what you needed as. How old are you at this time?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was 30 years old.

[Host 1]

Yeah, it's like a 30 year, 30 year old tight tight end was back in New England when you decided to retire. You talk about the joy and it just. You hated showing up to work. Was a lot of it to the expectation and the stress that would come with the organization of the Patriots. Like the standard that had lived and they expected you to live by. When you're like, hey, I feel like my body would respond better doing this or I feel like I should be doing this workouts because a lot of times you butt heads with those third party sources that we all use outside of the facility and then you try to implement them inside. And the whole, the whole ego battle kind of like butts heads.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, you hit it right on the money, bro. You, I mean like you said you played for a while so you understand that. And every player kind of goes through that experience too. But in, in a way like I like in New England, like coaches never gave off anyone from practice. But like at end of my career I was like, I can't be playing in a game on Sunday and practice full speed Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, like I'm blocking guys think about what I'm doing. I'm running 35 routes a game as well, like a wide receiver. And I'm trying to block, block three, you know, 300 pounders, sometimes DNS that are 260 pounds. Linebackers are running all over the place on a continuous basis, every single place. So my energy and effort and output is higher than anyone else out there on the football field, if you really think about it, because of the routes I got to run and also to be in shape blocking. And I just couldn't recover anymore. Like, Wednesday would come, and I wouldn't even want to hit anyone in the 997. I'd be like, yo, like, I'm just gonna put my hand in front of you, you know? Like, I didn't even want to hit. Like, that's. That's a bad feeling. You don't want to get hit, and you're playing the game football. But, like, if I took off, like, by, like, Thursday or Friday, like, I was able to do it again. Like, have that mindset. Like, oh, I'm ready to hit. But, like, no. No one would get off in practice or anything. So it was getting tough. Like, that mentality, that aura in New England. Like, I wanted a day off of practice and all that, but it was just tough. And it was tough to ask for it, too, because of the expectations.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So when I got the Tampa.

[Host 1]

I feel like you're letting the team down.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Exactly. But when I got to Tampa, they were kind of known, like, hey, we're gonna. We give vets a day off. Like, you gotta be truly proven, though. Like, and I was proven at that time, and I was like, can I at least get one day off a week? And every. In training camp, every three days, I get off, too. And they were down for it. They were down for it.

[Host 2]

I bet you could have probably negotiated more coming out of retirement.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, you'd have been like, yeah, I didn't need more, though. But also, with the mindset of coming from New England, you kind of feel like you're letting the team down as well if you're taking off too much, you know, especially if you're not injured or. Or, you know, rehabbing an injury. But I was cool with it, with my mindset, because I truly knew that I couldn't practice every single day than be fully ready for a game on Sunday. And they gave me off every Friday. My. My two years in Tampa, which I'm thankful for, which, you know, I put the work in, you know, Wednesday, Thursday. But I truly believe that's what got me to play and got me, you know, to be able to play at the level I play. It wasn't the highest level of football that I could possibly play at. Like, I was. But, like, to play at the highest level at that age and where I was.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Taking off that Friday to at least make an impact on the field.

[Host 2]

Right. Well, it got you that incentive too.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

There was that clip that came out of you going up, the Tom being like, hey, I need one more.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes.

[Host 2]

And so you guys, you were pulled out of that game. Correct. And you're like, I need to go back in.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, well, we were. We were whopping them. It was like the third quarter, we were up like 35 nothing or 35 seven. So they pulled out of starters. But Tampa's cool. You know, they're cool like that. They want you to make all the possible money that you can make. Take offensive corner of Byron left, which always said in the meeting, there's two things that you take away from football in the end. He goes, it's your relationships and it's the money that you make. That's the two things that stick with you forever. And he says, so going in, he goes, if we're up, obviously the most important thing is to win the game. But if we're up and you need an extra catch, we're going to get you that extra catch. We're going to get you that money.

[Host 1]

That's awesome.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So we were winning. They pulled all the starters. But Tom was like, hey, we got to get one more catch. We drew a play right. Right on the right on the sideline. Hey, Rob, motion across. You're just going to run a diagonal. I'm going to hit you. And boom, motion across. I actually false started, but they didn't get called. Where you lean forward a little bit. Yeah, it's called. What's that called again? What's the penalty?

[Host 2]

Illegal motion.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, but you. Where you accidentally move forward a little bit on the motion, that's a penalty. You're not allowed to move forward.

[Host 2]

Just a false start then.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It is a false start. But there's a name for it. I can't think about it right now, but I did that actually. But they didn't call it because it was. The game was just way out of reach. Ran that diagonal, boom. Tom hit me.

[Host 2]

Was that 700?

[Rob Gronkowski]

It was. It was my. I needed, I think like 55 catches or something. That was my 55th catch to hit. My last incentive in my contract. Yeah. So Tampa was cool. Cool like that.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Did you, did you ever have incentive based stuff in your contracts in New England?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes.

[Host 2]

Never. Did you ever miss one?

[Rob Gronkowski]

My last year in New England, I basically missed them all. But my second last year, New England, I base. I hit them all. Did you really? So I found myself again going into that last year, but halfway through, I didn't even care about them anymore.

[Host 1]

I was just like.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I was just like, I gotta surf. I gotta survive, dude. I'm just trying to survive here.

[Host 2]

Yeah. What was. What was written the most on you towards the end? Like, from your body standpoint? I gotta survive this. It was a shoulder. Was your back again?

[Rob Gronkowski]

It was inflammation. Inflammation in my body, bro.

[Host 2]

Insert Adam Bobo.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, inflammation, dude. Like, it wasn't anything. Nag. Well, my back was nagging a lot, but I was inflamed. But like. Like, I still have it to this day a little bit. Like, if I go ham one day, two days later, like, I can't move, like I'm inflamed, like I'm slow. I kind of actually have it a little bit today. I haven't worked down like two weeks. I did a hardcore yoga like 48 hours ago. Exactly. And, like, I didn't go too hard in it because I knew I was coming out. But when I get inflamed, named, like, I'm slower, like, I can't run as fast. And I was like, I couldn't recover fast enough and get rid of that inflammation. Even though I started finding ways to do it, it's just at that rapid rate and I was so far behind that. Just that slowness, just that not that burst anymore. You don't have that quickness either anymore. And it just doesn't want to make you get hit either. Everything hurts then, too. So. Inflammation was, you know, my biggest killer.

[Host 1]

I was say, is there a story outside of what you've already talked about in past conversations where you were going to get traded to Detroit, you threatened to retire, they don't trade you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

But was there a story behind the scenes about how the organization was kind of handling your situation that isn't known or that you haven't kind of talked about because everybody's aware that you did the whole threaten to retire. They don't trade you. You're back in New England.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, that was a tough year. We lost to the Philadelphia Eagles that year, actually in the super bowl after we. After the conference comeback versus Falcons. So we went back to back Super Bowls. We're actually almost three people. We went to three Super Bowls in a row, but we just lost the middle one versus the Eagles. But that year was tough, man. I'm talking just the aura of the organization. I don't think anyone really enjoyed that season. I'm talking like any player. Like, it was just weird. But we were dominating. We were still winning, and we went to the Super Bowl. But just overall it was. It was tough. Tough. And what was the question again about

[Host 1]

when they were going to. They were going to trade you to do.

[Rob Gronkowski]

There we go. Now I say that. That's why I was bringing that up so that whole year. So then I was being an. After that year, you know, like, they were trying to get a hold of me. I wasn't answering anything I was saying in the media. I was just being a complete. And then I'm with Monster Energy, and Monster Energy has Monster Jam and at the. At. At new. In New England at Gillette Stadium. And I still haven't talked to anyone in the organization. I was kind of vocal in the media. Like, this year sucked. Like, kind of shit like that. Like, miserable here. Like, I was one of those guys. Like. Like, that was like the oral, when everyone was saying it sucks to play in New England. Like, there was those. That one or two years, that was when the Eagles players were going to the. The parade and, like, ripping on the organization. Like, yeah, I was one of the guys, like, saying it sucks to play there. Like, that year. Like, it was just a tough year. Just overall. So then I was being an asshole. I go to Monster Jam and I have to have a press conference there, and it's all the football, like, for my monsters. Like, hey, like, you got to do the appearance at Monster Jam. And I was like, oh. I was like, this ain't gonna go over so well. So I show up to the press conference in the whole uniform, like, I'm a freaking dirt bike rider with the helmet on. I go up to the press conference and they just start asking me football questions right away. And I'm just giving blatant, like, answers back. And then a week later is when I get the phone call and finally I answer, hey, we're going to trade you. And I never wanted to get traded, actually. I knew it was going to come down to this, though, because of what I was doing. It was the counter reaction, you know, the organization was doing back to me, like, oh, he wants to be an asshole, we're going to get rid of him. And that's when Patricia was the head coach at the Lions, too. And he's like, all right, well, I'm going to grab Gronk, then I'm going to trade for him. And. And I got the call. I got traded, but I was prepared. I was fucking prepared. I knew the phone call was going to come. I knew I was going to get Traded. I was prepared. Hey, Rob, we're going to trade you to the line. I said, you can't trade a retired player. Yeah, right on the spot. I was like, you can't trade me. I'm retired. I just retired. You can't trade my agents. You're a genius. Drew, he's like, I never been in this situation before. And then finally Bill was like, well, then what the fuck's the problem? I went in, we hashed everything out. I was like, the train never went through. Then it got ax. Actually, it would have been through if I said no problem, but ended up playing one more year. Knowing I was like. I was like, business isn't done. Like, I'm just being an asshole a little bit. Business not done. Let's do one more year. I'm so glad I went back. I was actually about to retire though, too. I was really thinking about it, but I didn't feel right going to another team. Not at all. I was like, I'm not going to end it with another team. I'll do another year in New England. And we ended up winning the Super Bowl. And that was my last game in New England. England winning that super bowl, I think 53 in Atlanta versus Los Angeles Rams added with that catch up the middle, a 28 yard bomb up the seam to the two yard line. And then Sony Michelle ran the ball right behind me in for the only touchdown of the game. So it all worked out in the end.

[Host 1]

Yeah, man. What made that year with Philadelphia so hard was the expectation coming off the. The prior Super Bowl.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, I was beat up a little bit still. My body wasn't responding how I wanted it too. But just the aura. Yeah, yeah, it was that. No, the last year going in was. Was a lot better than that Philadelphia season. I remember everyone just was pissed. Yeah, I remember. I mean, it's just hard to explain. Like what, like what? Like why? Like, you just had to be a part of it.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Yeah, dude, off the field, let's go.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I like off the field.

[Host 2]

You've done a lot of cameos.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes, I have.

[Host 2]

Entourage, Family Guy, the Clapper.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I.

[Host 2]

It sounds like a venereal clapper.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's what Will had when he was a. That's why they beat us so bad in the Holly Bowl. We were staying away from them. Like, these guys have the clap.

[Host 2]

But, dude, you've done. You've done all of these different. SpongeBob SquarePants gotta stay. You gotta say.

[Rob Gronkowski]

SpongeBob SquarePants still gives me residual checks for like two grand. Like every like, every, like, dude.

[Host 2]

I mean, the show is.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Unbelievable.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I love. And I. I'm like, when did I do SpongeBob SquarePants? I. I remember I sang the, like, birthday song. And what of the episodes? I still get residual checks from it.

[Host 2]

That is awesome. Of all these cameos that you've done, what was, like, the, like, the thing you were most excited for now? Do people call you and be like, hey, we want Gronk to do this cameo. Or you ever, like, calling your agent, being like, I heard this movie's coming out. I heard the show. I love the show. How I met your mother. I want to be a part of

[Rob Gronkowski]

this kind of both, you know, especially at first, I wanted to be a part of cameos. Like, I. I wanted to live that lifestyle. Like I said, I wasn't saying no. Going to the driver draft. Any. That movie with Jamie Foxx, Was it any given Sunday or. Right. I love that movie. Like, I'm like, I want to live like that. They were part in the locker room after doing all that good. You know, I wanted to live like a movie. So I was just telling my people, like, oh, I'll do any appearance in whatever movie. And then my very first one actually, basically was the Entourage movie. Loved Entourage. Growing up as a kid, one of the.

[Host 2]

One of the best shows like that

[Rob Gronkowski]

when I was in high school and I told my friends in high school, too, I'm gonna be on that show once, one day, watch. And then I ended up getting in the movie, which was really, really cool. And definitely, I would say that was one of my favorite appearances, because what's funny is I was right in my prime of partying. So I actually got to this set and I started taking shots with everyone because it was like 11:30pm at night, and I was going out that night, so I started getting hammered on the spot. And in the scene, I'm. I'm partying in the scene. So it worked out perfect. Yeah, I was actually hammered for that scene. Right.

[Host 2]

Was that. Was that. Was that line ad libbed when you stood up and screamed?

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, no, they gave it to me.

[Host 2]

They gave it to you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But I took it to another level.

[Host 2]

Yeah, he did. Yeah, with the shoulder, too, and a sling.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Like, I was super handicapped. I was actually coming off the knee injury, so I was actually at a, you know, ACL surgery three months prior to that. But then we also put the arm brace on. Like, my arm was still freaking broken. Yeah, I always had a. A cane as well. It just. Just went along.

[Host 2]

Well, what was it? Like seeing Vinnie Chase and Johnny Drama and all those boys, after watching that show for so long and being.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Was the best, dude. I love him to this day. I see him at charity events and everything and seeing Drama. I love Drama, his character and just Drama as well as a person, dude. Great, dude. It. It was the best to. To be. Just be a part of it, you know? The dream come true. Yeah, dream come true, dude.

[Host 1]

All this stuff.

[Rob Gronkowski]

There we are.

[Host 1]

All this stuff.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wow. What pictures right there.

[Host 1]

I know, right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

There's the set, the Fedoron.

[Host 1]

That's so.

[Host 2]

The young Rob entourage really was that show that if you watch. Watched it, you wanted to be Vinnie Chase, you'd be like, how do I have the ability to live this life?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, Vinnie Chase was like, too pretty. And, like, I knew I couldn't be Vinnie Chase. I was kind of like, I just wanted. I just want to have a group like that, you know, Group of boys. Group of boys like that. Because I was kind of like Vinnie Chase, but I was more of like Johnny Drama in a way. I was like them combined, you know, like.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I got you, dude.

[Host 1]

That show.

[Host 2]

You got to watch that show.

[Host 1]

I know. I've seen.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You've never seen.

[Host 1]

I'm trying the movie. I haven't seen.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You've never seen the show, bro. Oh, man.

[Host 2]

You see the movie too? There's so many callbacks.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And the show blows away the movie, though, like, absolutely blows away.

[Host 2]

Is he not. Is he maybe the best character of all time?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Written character, best character. God, by far. Drama, you know, competes with it, but Ari is just phenomenal.

[Host 2]

Dude, I don't think anybody touches Ari in the show. He is so outstanding. Drama. Taylor. He's all right. I. I knew I saw you looking at me too. I got the Frenchie. He's pissed off as I step out of the batter's box in baseball ball.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We can't.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Was.

[Host 2]

Wasn't a huge fan of drum.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You're not.

[Host 2]

Wasn't a huge fan. No, no, no, no.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This is. Well, that's why I like you a lot more, man. That's why I'm on the show for you, Will. Thank you.

[Host 1]

Yeah, dude, all the stuff that you've done off the field, it's. It's rumored that you never spent a dollar of your NFL earnings. Is that true?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Technically it's not true. Well, it actually started working cuz Drew gave me a $50,000.

[Host 1]

Technically, it's not true. Technically, it is true.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Technically, it is true.

[Host 1]

True.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes. What did I say? It's not True.

[Host 1]

Yeah. You said technically.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, technically I was wrong there, but technically it's true. That, man is true. Drew Rosenau has actually gave me a fifty thousand dollar upfront, like, marketing budget at the beginning. And you got to pay them back over the time, the first 50 grand you made. So I actually took that 50 grand, I bought me a car, you know, I paid for my spot up in New England actually with it. And then as I was getting a couple deals, I paid them off. But just overall, you know, I actually, I'm very frugal, you know, and live, you know, with a roommate. My first couple years, I didn't know how long the NFL was going to last. I was a second round pick. So it was like a four year, $4 million deal. And I was like, if I play this contract out, I'll be set for life. I got $2 million in my bank. I can make 100, 100, $200,000 of interest. I was like, if I only play three, four years, I'm good. And I wanted that situation for me too, that I could be good as well. Like, like if, hey, if I don't ball, if I'm not the player, you know, that I think I could be whatever. I'm still set for life because 2 million in the bank is set for life to me, you know, at that time. So I, I just always wanted to save it. And I just used my money that I was getting off the field to just spend it on whatever I needed to spend it on. And then therefore, it just kept continuing. And to this day, technically, I have not spent any of my. Yeah.

[Host 1]

Isn't it crazy how when you're young, you have the mindset like, if I, I'll have $2 million, I'll be set for life? And I know obviously $2 million is a lot of money, but as time goes and you get older in your lifestyle that you do have, you're like, oh, 2 million. 2 million wouldn't get me very far. If I continue to like, live the way you think you can live, right? First sign a deal for like four years. $4 million.

[Host 2]

Yeah. It's scary how there's like always a new level to it. Like, you think if I can get to this point, point, that's all I need, blah, blah. But then you get to that point, you're like, what is this? We got. What's going on here? There's a private aviation. You can get on a plane and just kind of go where you want. That's pretty crazy. It always just, it's always changing. It's always.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I told you. He's going to be quiet the whole entire time. He's going to let us know when it's his turn. And now he's letting us know it's his turn. All right, but buddy, buddy, we still got a little bit longer.

[Host 2]

Just a little bit higher.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We'll give you.

[Host 2]

Give us 10, buddy.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Give us a little bit longer, buddy. I told you, though, I call him. I know this guy way too out. Yeah, see?

[Host 2]

Come, dog.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Come up here.

[Host 2]

Good dog.

[Host 1]

What you think about all raves in New England?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I think that's. I mean, I was waiting for this subject to come up, actually, because you guys know Rabes, you guys both played for him, but I think that's the perfect fit, you know, for New England overall. Just for the organization, for the fan base, for the Craft family. You know, I just love his mantra. I love what he stands for. I never really met Vrabel before, just for a quick stuff. Second. I've heard plenty of stories of him because he was that first era of. Of being a, you know, a Patriot and winning all the Super Bowls. But just to see the way he progressed as a coach, too. That's why he's such a good fit, too, for New England, because he's established. He put his time in as a player, put his time in as a coach, going to Ohio State, working his way up, going to Houston as like, what, D.C. or whatever, then getting the head. So he. He took a step every single way to get to where he is. And I think he just has the personality just from just seeing it and just hearing from other players that I think he's the truest perfect fit possible for that second era, you know, after Bill Belichick and what they're doing so far in New England. I mean, you can't really argue with any of the moves that they have made so far. I think they have made every move, you know, correctly with the draft, with who they took all the way from free agency. They had all that money. They went and got the guys they needed to get for the positions they needed to get. You never know, though, like, when you make a team out of free agency, you never know how it's going to be.

[Host 2]

Yeah, it's going to gel.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Guy like Vrabel, I feel like he can gel him because he's a guy that can gel people for. I mean, he. He played offense before, special teams, defense, like, those guys know how to gel.

[Host 2]

He'll tell you. He'll tell you. He'll tell you, he's done it all too. I mean, 14 years in the NFL, NFL and he's been a guy on every part of the, the entire roster. I mean if you look at like the Titans in 2021, I think they set a record for the most players play because of all the injuries and we were the number one seed going into the playoffs. Obviously we lost the first round we played. But that, that shows a guy that can gel his team and really I think it just depends on Drake May if Drake May can show up in a big way and take a step from year one to year two. Like the Patriots could be good. Actually good with all the, with all the free agency acquisitions.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'm going on record to say that they're making the playoffs this year as well. I, I, I don't think, you know that they may they have a chance at the division, but the Bills, but it's, it's afc Dolphins are going to Dolphin, you know, they're going to look beautiful real quick out of the water and they're going to sink back down. The Jets. Yeah, I mean we know they're just too far away still. I mean and then Bills are going to, you know, Bills are good, they're established. They're going to obviously, obviously be the dominant. But I think Patriots, they can, they can sneak into the playoffs this year. I can see that. I don't think they're going to, you know, compete for a Super bowl, but I think in the end, in the two, three years, possibly, yes. But this year they're going to be making a big impact.

[Host 2]

I mean, if you go from what, the fourth overall pick this year to the playoffs the next year. That's a huge joke. Yeah.

[Host 1]

We should get a, Speaking of, since we're all team Fanduel, we should get a little futures parlay going. I want to say the commanders over under is nine and a half, Titans are five a half and Patriots are seven and a half wins. Get a little combine them all futures

[Host 2]

bet I'll hit the overs.

[Host 1]

Hit the overs on them all.

[Host 2]

Well, what is, why are we hitting

[Rob Gronkowski]

the overs with, with the Titans? Why can't we each do the over and then the Titans we do the under.

[Host 1]

You think the Titans will struggle in that win over Titans?

[Host 2]

You're not gonna get six games.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I don't think so, no. How many did they get last year?

[Host 2]

Three?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I think they got, I think they got four or five in them this year.

[Host 2]

No, it wasn't five. I know.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, what's the improvement? Yeah, they got, they got the quarterback number one overall pick. But I'm just saying overall where. What else did they get?

[Host 1]

This is a good.

[Host 2]

They paid a left tackle $80 million and they're going to move their left tackle from last year played all 17 games. He was the top 10 pick over the right side. They got Zeitler at right guard. Now they got cushion Berry at center. And then you have a guy going to his third year that was a 11th overall pick, Peter Skoronski at left guard. So we have a good offensive line.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right. Right.

[Host 2]

You got Calvin Ridley and you got two great backs and Spears and Pollard and you got. It really depends on like Cam Ward can. If Cam Ward can be who we've kind of seen him be, then they are going to easily win over five

[Rob Gronkowski]

and a half games. It's all on Cam Ward.

[Host 2]

It is just like, just like, just like the Patriots. It's all on Drake May because you got seven and a half.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We got five and a half. With that breakdown, you know, I feel more comfortable taking you over.

[Host 2]

I will say, well let me play team meeting.

[Host 1]

Maybe we go both options number one and an under one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, what's the Patriots over?

[Host 2]

Under seven and a half.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh yeah, they got. We got to go over. If I say they're making the playoffs and that's a weak division as well. You know

[Host 2]

you have a monster.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah with the Bills, but I'm going over Patriots. I'm going over big time.

[Host 2]

We're all just going to be so biased.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And then what's the commander is nine

[Host 1]

and a half half which is a big one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But that is big.

[Host 1]

Jane Daniels in his second year.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I mean and they only upgraded their team as well. They went out and got some more talent. You know, you got Cliff Kingsberry as offensive corner. He's established, he knows how to handle players and he knows how to break down players talent as well and use it. So I like the over. We got to do a parlay where it's just all over there. But let's go big too.

[Host 2]

Go up, go up to September 14th. That's the first game or September 7th. September 7th. The Raiders dubbed. But Pete Carroll, you got the new running back in there. Geno Smith is there. They're going to run the ball. They're going to play good football. Toss up. You said the Dolphins come out, come out of the water early in the season and look really pretty. That one's in Miami and that one's

[Rob Gronkowski]

in Miami and it's in Miami. But did you See Portnoy break down the Patriots schedule.

[Host 2]

Yeah, I thought he did a great job.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I mean, they're going 17. Oh, so he did do a great job.

[Host 1]

He did a good job. He did a good job.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I, like, usually I look, that was like five and a half minutes, like the first 30 seconds. The first breakdown of the first game, I was like, all right. I was like, maybe I can watch five and a half minutes. But he was so good and entertaining. The first, you know, breakdown of the Las Vegas game, I was like, all right. I got to watch every single one. I watched the whole entire video and I. I literally walked away. Like, that was good.

[Host 2]

You walked away. Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He might be.

[Host 2]

There's a reason why Dave is where Dave's at. Yeah, he can talk, but Steelers, Steelers,

[Rob Gronkowski]

we're not breaking down the whole schedule.

[Host 2]

I'm just looking at seven games.

[Rob Gronkowski]

They're going above seven. I mean, we got the Steelers number. The Patriots always take down the Steelers, no matter what.

[Host 1]

You guys have schedule. You got the Panthers.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It's very favorable.

[Host 1]

Saints, Browns, Falcons.

[Host 2]

Yeah, we feel good about seven and a half there. Jets, we feel good about.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We're going over seven and a half. Yeah.

[Host 2]

Yeah. The Titans. I know I talked a big, big about their offense, but they are going to have holes on defense. Like, I don't. They're of kind going to have their cornerback. Their secondary is going to be in

[Rob Gronkowski]

a tough position, and that's going to be tough on a rookie quarterback then, too. Because if rookie quarterback needs help from the defense in order to get truly established and understand everything going on and

[Host 2]

you're not playing from behind all the time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Exactly. And when you're playing from behind as a rookie, it's tough to get over that hump then. You know, it's tough to win games. I mean, you got to be truly established as a quarterback in order to understand, like, all right, this is what we got to do from behind. This is what we got to do. A shitty defense.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's hard to understand your rookie year.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, in the NFL at that position. But I'm down. I'm down to do. I'm down to parlay. I actually, I got my phone right here. I'm gonna put the parlay in right now.

[Host 1]

At least build it so we know what the odds are.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I won that bet. I won that bet last night. Florida Panthers taking down, you know, the Toronto Maple Leafs in game seven. Do you need another moment of silence for that?

[Host 2]

No, no. I appreciate you. Thank you for thinking about my feelings. But we don't need to. We're gonna go to tear talk while you're putting in that. That in and tear talk is sponsored by ROW. Rose Sparks are a 2:1 prescription treatment for guys who need a secret weapon against softness. Rose sparks can give you guys bigger, thicker, longer erections because they get fuller after rose sparks dissolve. They work in 15 minutes on average. If prescribed new sex sexual health patients get $15 off their first order on sparks. On a recurring plan, connect with a [e-mail] bussing to find out if a prescription roast beef sparks are right for you. That's ro company busin for $15 off your first order. Go ahead.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So you're saying it will give me an erection?

[Host 2]

No, we're saying it'll give you a thicker, longer, bigger erection.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, then it's for me.

[Host 2]

Yeah, there you go. There you go. Let's go.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, here we go. I got the odds for the Tennessee Titans. Regular season wins, but. But they. They give plenty of odds. You can do over three and a half wins or over five and a half wins or over seven and a half wins. So you're saying the standard odds, though, are over five and a half wins.

[Host 2]

What. What does it say straight up?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I don't know. It's minus 130 for five and a half wins. Yeah.

[Host 1]

Then that's the one that. That they'll be running.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, so that's the one we want right there. So how do I parlay that? Do I just go.

[Host 2]

Go to another bet?

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, I'll go to the New England Patriots. Patriots. All right there. Washington Commanders. Click that. So what we want over nine and a half wins. That's minus 110. That's the one we want then. All right. All right. There we go. That. That parlayed, same game parlay. And now we're going with the New England Patriots. Where are you guys? Right there.

[Host 2]

Over.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Under seven and a half. Minus 150. That's it. Just clicked it. All right. Oh, we get. Now it's a plus 473 overall.

[Host 1]

Plus 473 for that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So how much should I put in? So this is a future bet I'm gonna do.

[Host 1]

Don't do it yet. We might get it. We could. We could get a little juice from Fanduel. Yeah, like we tell them. We get. We get done with the bus. We hit a Fanduel. Hey, we want to put this boys parlay.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, but I'm gonna. I'm gonna put a. I'm gonna put a Little something on it now and then I'm gonna go big when they give us that little juice.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So I'm going to do. I'm going to do 300.

[Host 1]

There we go.

[Rob Gronkowski]

300 right there. 300. I'm going to win 1400.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's right there. I'm feeling good. We're all feeling good about our team.

[Host 2]

About that. I'm thinking about this tear talk right now. Our tear talk today is going to be best movie couples. That's. That's what I'm hearing.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

Best movie couples, which is tough.

[Host 1]

I've thought about. It's very hard.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I love, like, the outside football talk. I thrive. Football is great to talk about, but I can't talk too much.

[Host 2]

Football. Right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I really can't.

[Host 2]

I really hanging out, you're talking about than just football.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I love talking more than football. I love off the field type freaking conversations.

[Host 1]

My.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So what's this one?

[Host 1]

I'll kick it off with tear talk.

[Host 2]

All right, explain.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Tier talk is what I live for.

[Host 1]

Tier three, tier two, Tier one. You're ranking them three all the way.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We got honorable mention as well.

[Host 1]

You can throw in an honorable mention.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right.

[Host 1]

And for an honorable mention, my first honorable mention is going to be Noah and Ally from the Notebook. It's a movie that will stand the test of time. Great love story. I do enjoy love. And sticking on the theme of love, enjoy love. I do enjoy love. I love a good tearjerk.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Love is the greatest drug out there.

[Host 1]

Amen. Amen. My tier three is going to be Jerry and Holly from P.S. i love you. Great tearjerker movie right there. Great tearjerker movie where Jerry knows he's gonna die and he writes these little P.S. i love you notes all throughout her life, she finds them. It is a very great love story. My tier two is going to be Rocky and Age Adrian. One of the best proposals of all time, where he says, hey, you know, what are you doing for the next 40 or 50 years? And she's like, I don't know why? And he's like, you. You wouldn't mind marrying me too much or anything, right? And she's like, huh? He's like, you wouldn't mind marrying me too much? She says, yes, Rocky Adrian, great love story. That is my tier 2. My tier 1 is none other than Shrek and Fiona.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, that's a good one.

[Host 2]

Great one.

[Host 1]

Yes.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, man, that's a good one. I've turned into the ogre.

[Host 1]

They write, you know, it gets into the end. She loves Shrek she doesn't want to be with the prince. She doesn't care to be the queen. And that is all time Love story. That is my tier one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I watched that with Camille last year for the first time and I'm. I'm in love. I'm in love with Shrek.

[Host 1]

Yeah, Shrek is a great series.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Great, great movie.

[Host 1]

Have you watched all of them since

[Rob Gronkowski]

you kind of like Shrek? Like in some comparisons.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I can't believe you didn't say that Big.

[Host 1]

Well, I mean, I, you know, no homo. I think you're no pause. Really too. I think you think you're a good looking cat. Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Well, yeah.

[Host 1]

Yeah. You're not.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'm an ogre in a way.

[Host 1]

You got some ogre tendencies.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, there we go.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Shrunk. Shrunk. Kind of looks like me a little bit.

[Host 2]

So now we give one word to describe how we feel about Will's tear talk. I'll go first. Hyphenated. Saved it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What was your one word?

[Host 2]

Saved it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's two.

[Host 2]

Hyphenated. Oh.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, that's one. Spectacular. Oh, yeah. Thank you.

[Host 1]

Boys.

[Host 2]

Boys. Yeah.

[Host 1]

Shrunk.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Lovely buzzer beater.

[Host 2]

Emotional money. Strong touching.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wow.

[Host 1]

Thank you, boys. Thank you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wow. I was getting turned on from all those descriptions.

[Host 1]

It's because.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I. I felt.

[Host 1]

Because you got that. Yeah, you got that rose spark in your system.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I really did feel it back there.

[Host 1]

The emotions.

[Rob Gronkowski]

The boy's emotions.

[Host 1]

Taylor, would you like to go second or should we go? Do we want to throw it to gromp?

[Host 2]

Go throw it across the ground.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right. So just best movie couples.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right. My honorable mention. I'm gonna go with my girlfriend and Channing Tatum in. In the movie. Oh, what was that movie that she was in? Free Guy. In Free Guy, it was the opening scene. Okay. It was really. It was really touching. So it's honorable mention because they weren't really dating, but like, they kind of where it was like going on a date. Like the opening scene.

[Host 1]

It was kind of tough seeing your girl.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, it was. It was. But I got give an honorable mention.

[Host 1]

Like he's a rocket.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, I know. He is.

[Host 1]

And he's got moves, bro. You talk about dancing.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I. I know. I wonder what happened behind the scenes. Yeah. So that's honorable mention. You got to see it. Free Guy. It's a great movie. She's the. She's the hot chick in the beginning in the car with Channing. Yeah, yeah. There they are right there. And that's a good badass. Yeah. That's a good one. It was a badass scene, so I got to give her some credit there. She did very well throughout that whole movie. And then I'll go with number three. I'll go with Justin Baldini and Blake Lively. And it ends with us. Yeah. I still haven't seen the movie, but it's talked about so much that I gotta, you know, put them in. In. In that ball game of being top three. I mean, when you're talked about that much, it's got to be a power couple, you know, throughout the movie, it ends with us. So that's number three. Number two. Tier two.

[Host 2]

Two.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I'll go with Shia LaBeouf. Is that how you say his first sh. Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox in.

[Host 1]

In the Transformers one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Transformers one.

[Host 2]

Great one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, that's. Yeah, that was excellent. Dude.

[Host 1]

Who.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Who doesn't love, you know, Transformers one. And. And they were like an ultra power couple in that movie. And number one, you know, it was a real life relationship at the time, too. And also they made one of the best movies of all time. I'm a big action guy. Mr. And Mrs. Smith with Angela Jolie and Brad Pitt. Yes. All aspects of that category because I. They're a real life relationship. It was a relationship in the movie, and it was also an action movie, and I love action movies, so that's number one by far for me.

[Host 1]

My worst word. Fireworks.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Is that two words. Is that fireworks combined or. Or with a little dash, like fire. Dash works.

[Host 1]

Fireworks is one word.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It is one word. You're right. Yeah. Depends how you're using it. The way you're using. Just testing them.

[Host 2]

Making sure my one word. Amazing, boys.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Shrunk. Shrunk again.

[Host 2]

Perfect. Perfect.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Incredible. Strong.

[Host 1]

Hyphenated.

[Host 2]

Gronk. Spike.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, that's one word. Solid. Elite.

[Host 2]

Oh, buddy, that was good word. And Mr. Mrs. Smith is one. That's not on my list. Now, if I could redo it, I probably would because it's so great, but I'm not gonna take it. My tier three. Three is gonna go to Tess and Finn from Fool's Gold. That's played by Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. Now in the beginning of the movie, they're getting divorced the whole movie. They're getting divorced towards the end. You'll have to watch it. Spoiler alert. They get back together. It's a beautiful one. And Matthew McConaughey looks phenomenal, that movie.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Not to mention, I actually just read his book Green Light. I just finished. It was a solid month. Oh, very solid. Any chance if you like to read books, read Matthew McConaughey's book, shout out.

[Host 2]

Matthew McConaughey. Conehe. My tier two is gonna go to Vanessa and Deadpool in the first movie. The passion that those two have with each other trying to outdo each other and how bad their child childhoods are. They get engaged with a. What is it? A ring pop. And then all of a sudden, the big C word comes, and obviously we know how the whole entire movie goes. My tier one is gonna. Jeremy Gray and John Beckwith from Wedding Crashers. You probably say Taylor. That's two guys. They weren't married. Life in business is like a marriage with your best friends. Those two working together tirelessly during wedding season to grab and stab all these other beautiful women is something that takes a lifelong friendship to achieve, which is a marriage. And that is why they are my tier one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

All right, I'll go first. I'll say creative because of the. Of your tier one.

[Host 2]

Thank you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wham.

[Host 2]

Greatest hits. Mazel tov.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Ring pop, silver medal. Those are. Those are both two words.

[Host 2]

Got to say high potato.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. You got. Got to hyphenated. Third place.

[Host 2]

Boom, boom, boom. How many.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How many big booms? How many booms? Three booms.

[Host 2]

Okay. Boom, boom, boom. Great tear talk.

[Host 1]

Great tear talk.

[Host 2]

Thank you. You understood the assignment.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Like I said, man, outside of football, I love conversation like football can, you know, go for so much long, you know?

[Host 2]

Right. Yeah. We're up this episode to bring you True Classic. Now, listen, you're going to find True classic at Costco Nashville, June 13th. That's what you're gonna find out. Also, Sam's Club, Target, or online at trueclassic.com forward slash, busin. They've done so well, they're doing a kids and women's line launch later this year. Now, you might see me wearing the all black, my usual cartoon uniform right now. Grabs the shoulders, holds the chest in real nice. Can we get a. Can we get a wide, Mitch? I want to show them a little how they have flexible. This is. So I got the left leg up here. I'm gonna bring that down now. I'm just gonna bring that all the way there right there. The only thing holding me back is my own flexibility. That's the only thing holding me back. You see that cheek back there?

[Host 1]

That's very good mobility. Very good range by True Classic.

[Host 2]

Great job. True Classic. They look good. So you can play good. Let's get back to this episode.

[Host 1]

Here's a football. Here's a Question in the football world, however I think it is, involves you being a student of the game and giving game to the fellow young ones out there. During the COVID year, when a lot of things were virtual, you are. There's a story about you potentially wearing different T shirts while you're doing a sprint workout. To send it in, give some game to the young cats out there. And how you gain.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, you got to work smarter, not harder, boys. You know, that's what it's all about. And that's what, you know, keeps you around a lot longer, too, is you can work as hard as you want, but if you're doing something that's making you insane and you just keep working harder, you're going to get more insight. Insane.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, but you gotta work smarter. So you're supposed to, you know, during COVID you were doing all the workouts at home, and you had to send it into an app that you were pro to prove that you were doing the workout. So you actually had to film yourself, like, benching and film yourself, you know, running the routes or running the sprints. But you didn't have to do the whole entire bench, like, it was like your last set, or you would have to, you know, show like, two of the runs that you were doing. So instead of filming myself running every time, time, I just film my. So that day, you have 12 runs, so you got to show two of them. So instead of filling myself every single time to submit the runs, I brought out six different T shirts. And every two runs, I would switch my T shirt up and then film the whole entire run that day. And then I would submit those two runs with a different T shirt on every single time that those moments came up that I had to submit it. And so I tricked them. So I tricked them. So technically, maybe I didn't run that day then because I was like, I'll just use the video.

[Host 1]

Video. Yeah, I hit the bench.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I tricked them.

[Host 2]

When did you. Did you tell on yourself or did somebody ever find out?

[Rob Gronkowski]

I told on myself.

[Host 2]

Fair.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Told the story to the reporters actually that year. Like, oh, Rob, what the. I got everyone hitting me up. You're an. He loved it, though. He thought it was great.

[Host 2]

That is a funny, funny piece of game. Last question. Question. The Bud Light question. Everybody knows anybody. They would do anything for a Bud Light. What is one. One thing that Rob Gronkowski would do anything for? Can't say family.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, Well, my dog's technically family, right?

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Girlfriend's technically family.

[Host 2]

Y. Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So what would I do do anything for Dang. You know, that's. That's a really good question. I would do anything to be happy at all times. 24, 7.

[Host 2]

That would be something special. What about.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You can't go against that, right?

[Host 1]

Oh, yeah. No, I don't think so.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, to be happy at all times.

[Host 2]

What about. What about playing your junior of college?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay. All right. Physically. That's mentally so. Now, physically, I would go back. I would love to play my junior year in college. And also I. I transferred my senior year in high school. If I could somehow play that year that I played in Pittsburgh, but also play the year at my old, old high school as well. Yeah. So if I could, like, do double senior seasons in high school and play the year. My junior year in college. College, Arizona. Because you do you like when you leave, like, you miss your boy? Like, I left my boys, like, in high school. You know, I went to a different school. I was getting in trouble and stuff. There's a lot more to it. But then I went to Pittsburgh my senior year. But, like, you know, I. I'm still friends with all those guys, like, to this day. And, like, you're leaving them, you know, I mean, it's for the better in the end. Like, it worked out for sure, but like, still, like, you wish you could. You know, you watch all the high school movies and every. Everything like Friday Night Lights and like, you wish you could finish strong with the people you started with.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But it just didn't work that way. And same with, you know, my third year, you know, at the University of Arizona. So I would do anything. You're right. Mentally to be happy at all times. Being happy is great, like, and energize and energize. And then physically go back and play those years.

[Host 2]

I love it.

[Host 1]

What's something you weren't necessarily prepared for? Kind of, kind of came as a surprise, like, during retirement. Like, you're a guy, hall of Fame career, one of the best to ever do it. And you obviously tasted retirement that one year. And then you came back to Tampa Bay, but now you're, like, officially retired.

[Host 2]

Retired.

[Host 1]

What's something you feel like you didn't necessarily see coming with retirement?

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, being on a routine, you know, when you're playing ball and you're an athlete your whole life, you always have a routine. You got to be at practice. You gotta, you know, be in the film room. Like it's there, like it's handed to you, like a, you know, a schedule every single day. That routine, you know, what to do and get prepared for. And then once you retire, that routine's totally thrown out the window. It's kind of up to you now to schedule. Schedule, you know, when you're going to work out, when you're going to do this, when you're going to study all that good stuff. So just getting on a routine and when you totally get off of it as well it with you, you know, like, you're kind of, like, mentally weak sometimes. You're flying all over the place. You're not doing the right things, you're not getting your workouts in and all that good stuff. And you're just so used to doing all that, you know, on a continuous basis, even if you don't feel like it. You have to do it when you're an athlete because everyone else doing it, you don't have that push around you. So that. That would. That's the tough spot is getting that push, you know, to get to the next level. And also that routine of always, you know, being on the grind and getting things done.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Because when it snowballs, you're just laying there and you just get so mad at yourself for falling out of a routine.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

You start talking to yourself, like, in ways. Like you said, like, I'm mentally weak. Like, I'm falling off.

[Host 2]

Look what's happened to you. Look at an old photo of yourself. Like, that guy worked hard.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But you guys, you guys got it down, though. Like, look at you guys that keep each other accountable. I bet. You know, doing the show, you got to get a routine on, you know, get prepared for it, you know, study up. Same thing with myself and Julian. We got our podcast Dudes on Dudes. So you got to prepare for that. Get mentally ready, kind of physically ready, too, because you want to be physically feeling good at all times. It keeps your mental game sharp. So you just got to find, you know, the guys out there that want to get on the same page with you and want to do that as well.

[Host 1]

What is it like? Get diving into the podcast world, would you, Jules?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, it's great. And what's great about it, Julian already had his podcast games with names. So, yeah, Julian was experienced. The podcast, I never thought it was, like, really for me. I always like going on people's podcasts, but I was like. I said no for, like, ever. I was like, I don't want to start my own podcast. But then once I went on Julian's, we had the chemistry. And then I saw that Julian can carry the load of the podcast too. The Load. We were just talking about that on Sunday conversation. He's like, oh, Julian takes the whole load of the podcast. I was like, yeah, that just brought, you know, kind of triggered in my mind, but I was like, all right. So he's going to be like, he's going to be there to help me along and everything, and it's just great to have a teammate. So I was like, this is perfect. And his team around him was already experienced, everything set up ready to go right when you walk in. So I was like, I can do it now. And it was just the right fit. It's kind of like going to Tampa had to be the right fit.

[Host 1]

Yeah. Do you travel out there to do it each time you guys do the pod?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, I'm in LA all the time for the pregame for the Fox show, so we usually just knock out an episode or two on, like, that Monday or Friday or something. And now that it's off season, we get together. Like, we were just in Boston last week. We knocked out two episodes, but if we're not, we just do it over Zoom.

[Host 1]

Gotcha.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. So half of them right now in the off season are over Zoom. The other half are one we can get in person whenever we can.

[Host 2]

That's awesome.

[Host 1]

We got to get all the boys together.

[Host 2]

Yeah, we can get the four of us in one room. That'd be awesome.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It really would be. It would be good stuff.

[Host 2]

Gosh.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Are you guys. Basically, you guys are like football with a little all football with a little everything else as well. Yeah.

[Host 2]

I'd say, like, we're, like, probably 70 football. 70 in the off season, too. Like, I mean, we have, like, comedians, musicians, like, all coaches, players, all the. All these different things.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, that's what we were. We were basically all football in the first couple, though. And I was like, bro, I'm not all football. Like, I. Like, I can't. So now we're switching up with, like, fan questions, like. Or that, like, tear talk that we just did with the movie couples. Like, we come up with segments like that now, too. And I'm like, this is way better. Like, football is great for half of it, but the other half, I wanted to just freelance what's going on, what you're doing at the moment, like, what you learned, like, new technique, new trick in life or whatever, with new hack. Just. Whatever. Just go off. So not just all about football now. We're kind of blossoming more, like, because of it. Hot Topics. Whatever he's talked about right there. So football's great. I Mean, but, like, to do it 24 7. I like. I like a broad of. Of, you know, of everything.

[Host 2]

I'm with you on that. Absolutely with you. Before we let Mr. Gronkowski go, does anybody have a question back there they'd like to ask anybody? Feel free.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I thought that guy in the middle would ask me where I get my IVS from. Even though we already brought it up. Where you guys get your IVs from? Nashville. So, yeah, he does do a good job. Right. You know, I don't want to give him the credit, but he. He's good. You know, he's seeking the credit, and he does rehi. Hydrate you well. So these unbelievable nurses there that work really hard.

[Host 1]

Yes.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And they actually deserve all the credit. All the women nurses that he has hired.

[Host 2]

Absolutely.

[Rob Gronkowski]

In Nashville, they do get you hydrated and filled you up with the best vitamins in the game. Yeah. The nurses. You run that company?

[Host 2]

Run it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Run it. Yeah, they really do.

[Host 2]

Without the nurses.

[Host 1]

See all the work. In the beginning, bro, it started.

[Host 2]

I didn't see where it started. Yeah. And Bobo, we do appreciate. We. For the show, you were talking about giving us all free IVs for, like, next two months. So I appreciate you saying that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I. I agree.

[Host 2]

For the next couple months, man. That is awesome. Thank you, sir.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And if you're listening and. And you hear this, just walk in and say, hey, I heard you're giving out free IVs for two months. Yes. On the Gronk episode is free IVs,

[Host 2]

so that is big time. But you have to give out free IV immunity.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You have to give it out. We're not saying nad. A vitamin bag, the athlete bag, you have to give out if someone comes in.

[Host 2]

But Gronk, you remember he was saying. You were saying that he was giving all of us nad for free.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, we're getting nad.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But they can get. If you hear this, you can get a vitamin bag.

[Host 2]

Yeah. For free.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We don't want to go bankrupt now. No, no, no.

[Host 2]

Just a. A bag. Get in there. Small bag.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Too small. No, small bag, big bag.

[Host 2]

It's just fluid.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Fluid's five cents.

[Host 1]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Even though you get charged a hundred dollars.

[Host 2]

Gotta make a profit. Gotta make a profit.

[Host 1]

Margins are healthy. Yeah, yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It's like ice cream.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Ice cream margins.

[Host 2]

Ice cream margins. Jack, did you have a question?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Hey, I gotta. Yeah. When. When do ice cream companies make their most amount of money? Yeah. Like, what month?

[Host 2]

July.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No, June. See, that's what you think. It's actually May. It's like right when the weather blossoms because everyone wants to hurry up and get there. I heard they make all their money for the whole year. Yes, June, July and August are great, but when it's truly packed, it's the first month that it just. The sun comes out. I learned that that's what. That's what I've been. No, that's crazy. Cuz everyone goes crazy. It's like when the weather's nice outside. How. How bazon is. Is it outside? It's wild. Wild the first week around.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Later in the summertime, you go out on Saturday, it's like, ah. People are like, we've seen the sun every single day now. Yeah, right. Everyone goes apeshit when it's the first, you know, week of. Of nice weather. Same with the ice cream world.

[Host 2]

When it comes to comes to ice cream, I don't discriminate on weather. I'll. I'll take down an ice cream in the middle of January. I love that stuff. Love it. Go ahead, Jackie. Was the Steve Harvey Lego head spike scripted?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Damn. Damn. That's a good question. And everyone wants to know that actually it's still talked about to this day. That was a legendary moment by far. We were hosting New Year's Eve on Fox and I spiked a Steve Harvey Lego set of, of. Of his head, of his face. But what was scripted was that I was gonna spike it. Like, I knew I was spiking it. They had me in the script. Hey, Gronk, you're gonna spike the Steve Le Steve Harvey Legos. Not Steve Harvey. Steve. My names are all over the place. Steve.

[Host 1]

No, you're right.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Steve Harvey. Yeah, I'm getting him confused with another Steve. I know, but the Steve Harvey Lego said, hey, you're gonna spike it. So when I spiked liked it, that, that was kind of, you know, understood. Understood. That was kind of.

[Host 1]

Did he know it? Did Steve know it?

[Rob Gronkowski]

But his reaction was not scripted at all. And I'm not sure either if he knew I was gonna spike it or not. I knew I was going to from the beginning. I'm not sure if he knew, but his reaction was priceless, man. Like, it felt like he was truly pissed, if he truly was.

[Host 1]

But how was, how was the dynamic after?

[Rob Gronkowski]

It was fine.

[Host 1]

Were you around him and he was kind of like, yo.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He didn't bring it up after. Like, it was like he was like, nice bike, but like, he wasn't like, off the screen. Like, why the did you do that? Yeah, no, no, like, he acted like that, like, when it happened I mean, he kind of got me scared. I was like, oh. Like, was I really supposed to do that or not? Like, he's pissed. But it was good. It was tv. It was one of my best movements, one of my best moments on TV of all time. I love it.

[Host 2]

I love it. Boys, we feel good.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Any other questions back there? I know, but I don't like telling anyone that's to going scripted because everyone truly believes it was like, right on the spot. Like, I decided to do that.

[Host 2]

Steve sells it. Yeah, he sells it big time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, he sold it that good. So, yeah, it was scripted, but it was kind of. It was unscripted. Scripted.

[Host 2]

Unscripted. Scripted. Let's give Rob a round of applause, boys. Thank you for coming on the bus.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Thank you, guys for having me, man. Busting with the boys. That's what's up, man. Thank you.

[Host 1]

We finally doing more with fandom.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yes.

[Host 2]

Oh, yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

FanDuel is the best, man.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

This fall is going to be awesome. I can't wait. Wait for it. Can we get a photo, you guys?

[Host 1]

Yeah. Big hug, tiny kisses.

[Host 2]

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