The Ryen Russillo Podcast

Host: Ryen Russillo
Episode: Rob Gronkowski Talks Belichick in College and His Favorite Young Tight End. Plus, Freddie Gibbs on His Biggest Rap Inspirations and More.
Date: August 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features two in-depth interviews: first with NFL great Rob Gronkowski, discussing his current endeavors, reflections on his career, and thoughts on the current state of football and coaching—particularly Bill Belichick’s surprising foray into college football. The second half features acclaimed rapper Freddie Gibbs, who joins Ryen in his living room for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about rap inspiration, career evolution, authenticity, food, travel, acting, and more. The episode also includes life advice and listener questions, keeping the tone engaging, insightful, and fun.

1. Rob Gronkowski Segment

Starts at: 01:25

Gronkowski & the T-Mobile ‘Friday Night 5G Lights’ Campaign

• Gronk details his partnership with T-Mobile and their high school football initiative, now entering its second year.

• The campaign awards funding and resources to high school football programs, including a $1 million grand prize for a field makeover ([01:46], Gronk).

• Gronk emphasizes how the campaign empowers communities and fosters hometown pride, with expanded prizes and participation this year.

  Quote:
  “We got more winners, we got more prizes and ultimately more ways to showcase hometown pride and empower communities.” — Rob Gronkowski [02:08]

Navigating Endorsements & Fame as a Young Star

• Ryen asks Gronk about the early years of handling sudden notoriety and business opportunities ([03:33]).

• Gronk shares how difficult it can be for young players to distinguish good deals from bad, admitting some early missteps and the challenge of learning to say no ([05:03]).

• Emphasizes that football performance should always come first, as off-field opportunities will follow if you keep playing well ([06:30]).

  Quote:
  “I have too much on my schedule and it starts affecting your game on the football field... But you learn as you do it.” — Rob Gronkowski [05:51]

  Quote:
  “If you take care of your business on the football field... you don’t have to worry about those marketing deals. They will come.” — Rob Gronkowski [06:30]

Bill Belichick as a College Coach?

• Ryen poses a hypothetical: Would young Gronk have wanted to play for “college coach” Belichick ([06:18])?

• Gronk says he likes discipline and structure, believing he would have thrived with Belichick in college, but acknowledges it’s a total mystery how the legendary NFL coach will fare at UNC.

• Gronk notes the massive adjustment for Belichick regarding NIL, marketing, and distractions in the college ranks.

  Quote:
  “He kind of has that Deion Sanders effect. Right now. Everyone's interested in what the Tar Heels are going to do this year, but it's also like, what are they going to do?” — Rob Gronkowski [06:45]

Transition to TV and the Realities of Broadcast Life

• Gronk discusses the challenges of live TV on Fox Sports—how preparation is different from playing football ([09:40]).

• He alters his workout schedule to avoid feeling physically or mentally slow on TV days, sharing the parallels between game day prep and broadcast prep ([10:40]).

• Ryen and Gronk reminisce about the physical peak of the early 20s and how aging changes recovery and performance ([12:47]).

  Quote:
  “When I work out hard, I get slow and I can’t think... So I like to work out Monday through Thursdays and chill out and then be full speed on Sundays.” — Rob Gronkowski [10:53]

On Being a Veteran: Mentoring Younger Tight Ends

• Gronk shares experiences from “Tight End U” and how he mostly mentors college and high school players rather than active NFL guys ([14:06]).
• He admires the camaraderie and learning at Tight End U run by George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Greg Olsen.

On Mike Vrabel & Revisiting New England

• Gronk clarifies he never actually overlapped with Mike Vrabel in New England, though everyone assumes they did ([15:28]).

• Explains his hesitation to return to Patriots practices soon after retirement; it's too fresh, and he doesn’t want to feel like he’s “hanging on” ([17:08]).

  Quote:
  “It’s overwhelming when everyone's coming at you… I just never really been my thing to go out back to a football practice.” — Rob Gronkowski [18:45]

The Championship Mindset: After a Super Bowl Loss

• Gronk details the emotional recovery process after the heartbreaking Eagles Super Bowl loss, rebounding for a Super Bowl win over the Rams ([21:43]).

  Quote:
  “It was Super Bowl or bust, basically. I went to six Super Bowls in 11 years, which is just out of control.” — Rob Gronkowski [21:57]

• Offers perspective for the Chiefs after their Super Bowl loss, insisting as long as Mahomes and Andy Reid are there, the window’s always open ([23:36]).

Gronk’s Favorite Young Tight End & Offensive Schemes

• Gronk identifies Penn State rookie Tyler Warren as a favorite, likening his skills to his own and praising his route running and physicality ([28:16]).

• Shouts out the creativity of the Miami Dolphins offense—at least before the rest of the NFL caught up ([28:16]).

  Quote:
  “There’s a player I really, really like who’s a rookie this year who I thought was going to be the first tight end taken… Tyler Warren… he kind of reminded me of myself.” — Rob Gronkowski [29:38]

Podcast & Live Show Plugs

• Gronk gives props to Julian Edelman’s “Games with Names” podcast and plugs their upcoming live show at Boston’s MGM Music Hall ([31:10]).

  Quote:
  “We got like 4000 tickets sold right now. So, you know, get yours fast... MGM Music Call August 28.” — Rob Gronkowski [31:27]

2. Freddie Gibbs Segment

Starts at: 33:49

Creating ‘Alfredo 2’; Artistic Process

• Freddie discusses striving for improvement and differentiation on every project—his latest with The Alchemist included a Japanese visual theme to enhance the album’s overall “experience” ([34:21]).

• Explains the music is often “the easy part”; the real challenge is concept, presentation, and visual storytelling ([35:09]).

  Quote:
  “I just wanted to add a piece to the series that we kind of made, really, to be honest.” — Freddie Gibbs [34:21]

Musicality and Performance Approach

• Freddie values live instrumentation and likens his performances to basketball strategy—always switching up the attack ([36:45]).

• Strives for innovation in every verse and flow so that his style is always distinct ([37:37]).

  Quote:
  “Every time I rap, I try to make a new flow that nobody ever really did. So if you try to copy it… that’s Freddie Gibbs flow.” — Freddie Gibbs [36:45]

Growth, Influences, & The “Underdog” Mindset

• He credits producers Madlib and The Alchemist for challenging him and making him better, especially when given unorthodox beats ([39:41]).

• Cites Scarface as the rapper who made him “fall in love with rap” and 50 Cent as the one who made rapping feel attainable ([41:15]).

  Quote:
  “The first rapper that made me be like, ‘Yeah, I’ma rap’ was 50 Cent... The first person that made me really fall in love with rap... Scarface.” — Freddie Gibbs [41:24]

• Talks about competitive drive and always seeking to outperform everyone in the room ([44:40], [45:29]).

Authenticity and Self-Promotion

• Gibbs reflects on how authenticity translates to audience trust, and why trying to fake it in hip-hop is ultimately exposed ([42:41]).

• Describes enjoying the path of doing things his way, even if it means so far shunning things like podcasts to concentrate on music ([53:52]).

  Quote:
  “Overall, you just got to be yourself and, you know, who you are is gonna, like, shine into your music automatically. I think you could tell when somebody's faking.” — Freddie Gibbs [42:41]

On Acting and Diversification

• Freddie has caught the acting bug; he starred in films, loves the process, and only wants to do projects outside the “rapper” or “street” clichés ([59:32], [60:31]).

• Comedy and “out of the box” roles (like vampire movies or comedies) intrigue him most ([61:15], [61:44]).

  Quote:
  “I want to challenge myself in the art of it all... I don’t want to just play Sonequa’s big brother and they got a gun across the street.” — Freddie Gibbs [60:48]

Life, Travel & Food

• Gibbs travels extensively for music and pleasure, recounts his love for Paris and Morocco, and laughs about his indulgence in strip club cuisine ([50:29], [49:34]).
• Shares the liberating experience of being able to be “normal” and anonymous in cities like Paris ([51:21]).

Movies, TV & Cultural Tastes

• Prefers Teen Wolf over Hoosiers, enjoys horror films like “Weapons,” and admires Oppenheimer for its complexity ([63:30], [64:10]).

• Cites Tom Hardy as his favorite actor ([69:28]).

• Misses the era of anticipation for films and music—feels streaming has diminished quality and staying power ([88:03]).

  Quote:
  “I miss just having a movie in the theater and being like, fuck, I can’t wait to get that shit at home. Now this shit is in the movie theater, and two weeks later, it’s on streaming.” — Freddie Gibbs [88:04]

• On comedy, reminisces about Gallagher, jokes about Carrot Top’s strength, and prefers old-school VHS delays ([87:12]).

Podcasting, AI & Music Landscape

• Is critical of the proliferation of podcasts and AI-generated rap, worrying that “art is dying” due to lack of effort and authenticity ([89:00], [88:28]).

  Quote:
  “They got AI rap now... When you gotta ask the computer and to write your lyrics is whack. Right?” — Freddie Gibbs [89:28]

Gibbs on Relationships and Dating

• Talks candidly and humorously about his dating life, the realities of fame, heartbreak, and the modern “scene” ([77:01], [78:00]).
• Says he’s not the clingy/stalking type, prefers efficiency in moving on after a breakup ([78:22]).

3. Listener Mailbag and Life Advice

Starts at: 92:14

On Prenups and Financial Planning ([92:30])

• Listener asks if he should bring up a prenup with his soon-to-be fiancée—she’ll inherit a lot, but currently earns less.

• Ryen, Ceruti, and Frius agree it’s a delicate topic; suggest waiting before raising the issue after the proposal and framing it in light of personal/familial trauma ([101:35]).

  Quote:
  “If this is important to you, should do it. But you need to come at it understanding her perspective and be empathetic about that.” — Frius [101:58]

On Living with Your Parents as an Adult ([107:05])

• Australian listener struggles with being ghosted for living at home at 33.

• Advice: Either frame it as helping parents or as a path to financial independence—“Sell the idea you’ll be out soon.” ([109:41]).

  Quote:
  “If you keep throwing enough innings, you’ll probably find somebody that understands where you’re at in life right now and does not look at your living situation as a barrier.” — Ryen [118:00]

4. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On aging as an athlete:
  “When I was 22, man, I was just tossing up weight left and right... Now, 36 years old took a big beating in my career, you know, I can feel it a little bit the next day.” — Gronkowski [11:22]
• On innovation in rap:
  “Every time I rap, I try to make a new flow that nobody ever really did. So if you try to copy it, you know, like, oh yeah, that’s Freddie Gibbs flow.” — Freddie Gibbs [36:45]
• On AI in art:
  “We in a lazy day and age, man. Art is dying... When you gotta ask the computer and to write your lyrics is whack.” — Freddie Gibbs [90:13]
• Freddie Gibbs on movies:
  “My favorite movie is Teen Wolf... way better than Hoosiers, I'll tell you that.” [63:30]

5. Episode Timestamps

• 01:25 — Gronkowski interview begins: T-Mobile campaign, handling fame, Belichick thoughts
• 09:40 — Gronk on transitioning to TV and physical/mental prep
• 14:06 — Mentoring, Tight End U
• 17:08 — Revisiting New England, Vrabel, and returning to practices
• 21:43 — Rebounding from Super Bowl loss
• 28:16 — Favorite NFL offenses and young tight ends
• 31:10 — Podcast, live show plugs
• 33:49 — Freddie Gibbs interview begins: album process and artistry
• 41:15 — Influences: Scarface, 50 Cent, competition
• 50:29 — Travel, food and international life
• 59:32 — Acting aspirations, typecasting, creative goals
• 77:01 — Love life, fame, relationships in the rap world
• 92:30 — Life advice: prenups, living at home, dating
• 118:00 — Closing encouragement on dating after a breakup

Episode Recap

This episode balances true sports insight with a dose of music culture and authentic, often hilarious life advice. Gronk remains endearing and candid about his journey through football and life, and offers a window into the emerging aspects of football culture (college Belichick, NIL, etc). Freddie Gibbs is thoughtful and brutally honest—promoting originality, hustle, and authenticity in art, while giving listeners an unfiltered look into the mind of a great MC navigating modern celebrity and expanding into acting.

Highly recommended for fans of football, hip-hop, or anyone seeking honest, life-tested wisdom delivered with wit and warmth.