Rob Gronkowski

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Lore & Background

Gronkowski played college football for the Arizona Wildcats, earning third-team All-American honors as a sophomore in 2008. Despite playing only two collegiate seasons, his 18.8 yards per reception average and 1,197 receiving yards were team records for his position. The Patriots selected Gronkowski in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft, after he missed his junior year due to back surgery, immediately becoming a major contributor to the franchise's dynasty. A complete tight end, he was considered elite as both a receiver and a blocker. He set several NFL records, including being the first player of his position to lead the league in receiving touchdowns (17 in 2011). Gronkowski also has the most combined receptions (23) and receiving yards (297) by a tight end in Super Bowl history. He is ranked first in average yards per target (9.9) and average touchdowns per game (0.69) among tight ends. Gronkowski also holds the Patriots franchise record of total receiving touchdowns (79).

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Gronkowski's rookie year began with immediate impact. Selected forty-second overall after a trade involving the Oakland Raiders—who later revealed they viewed him as the 'best all-around player in the draft'—he signed a four-year, $4.4 million contract on July 25, 2010. Despite missing his entire junior college season due to back surgery, he did not miss a single game or practice in his rookie year. He recorded forty-two receptions for 546 yards and ten touchdowns, becoming the first rookie tight end since the NFL-AFL merger to reach double-digit scores. His dominance was highlighted in Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he caught three touchdown passes from Tom Brady, making him the youngest rookie in NFL history to achieve that feat. This performance earned him a 'Rob Gronkowski Award' designation in Madden NFL 12.

Reader's Guide

Gronkowski was born in Amherst, New York, on May 14, 1989, and was raised in nearby Williamsville. He is the second youngest son of Gordon Gronkowski and Diane Walters. His father was a college football guard for Syracuse University from 1977 to 1981 and later founded a high-end fitness equipment business. He is a great-grandson of Ignatius Gronkowski, who represented the United States in cycling at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, and held five world records in the sport. Gronkowski's parents divorced in 2008. His four brothers – Gordie, Dan, Chris, and Glenn – all played collegiate sports, and later played professionally. Gronkowski played hockey until he was 14; he then started playing basketball. He attended Williamsville North High School (WNHS) for his first three years of high school, playing tight end and defensive end, as well as freshman kickoff specialist, supposedly due to his having the biggest feet on the team; center in basketball; and first baseman in baseball for the WNHS Spartans. As a junior playing football, he recorded 36 receptions for 648 yards and seven touchdowns on offense, and 73 tackles and six sacks on defense. He was named an All-Western New York first-team and All-State second-team player. In 2006, Gronkowski moved to suburban Pittsburgh, where he attended Woodland Hills High School for his senior year. Initially ruled ineligible by the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League because of his transfer, he recorded eight receptions for 152 yards and four touchdowns at Woodland Hills after the ruling of ineligibility was overturned. He was named a SuperPrep All-American, PrepStar All-American, Associated Press Class 4-A all-state, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Fabulous 22", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first-team all-conference, The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) "Platinum 33", and a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "Terrific 25" player. He was recruited by Kentucky, Arizona, Clemson, Louisville, Maryland, Ohio State, and Syracuse. Gronkowski graduated from Woodland Hills in 2007 with a 3.75 GPA and 1560 out of 2400 SAT score. After graduating from high school, Gronkowski attended the University of Arizona as a Pre-Business major and played for the Arizona Wildcats football team from 2007 to 2009 under head coach Mike Stoops. As a freshman in 2007, he recorded 28 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns. His 18.8

Did You Know?

• Gronkowski's nickname 'Gronk' was given to him by his older brother, Chris Gronkowski.
• He is a four-time Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII, LV).
• Gronkowski holds the Patriots franchise record for total receiving touchdowns with 79.

Dynastic Dominance with New England

During his nine seasons with the New England Patriots, Gronkowski established himself as a cornerstone of the franchise's dynasty. Selected forty-second overall in the 2010 draft, he immediately became a major contributor, breaking the mark for the highest-drafted tight end from Arizona. He set several NFL records, including leading the league in receiving touchdowns with seventeen in 2011, becoming the first tight end to do so. His statistical dominance included holding the Patriots franchise record of seventy-nine total receiving touchdowns. Gronkowski was selected to five Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro teams during his tenure. His consistency saw him score ten touchdowns as a rookie despite missing his entire 2009 college season, a feat unmatched by any other rookie tight end since the merger.

Collegiate Records and Draft Journey

Gronkowski's collegiate career at the University of Arizona was brief but historic. Playing only two seasons, he earned third-team All-American honors as a sophomore in 2008. He set school records for a tight end in single-game, single-season, and career receptions, yards, and touchdowns. His eighteen point eight yards per reception average and one thousand one hundred ninety-seven receiving yards were team records for his position. Prior to the 2010 draft, he missed his junior year due to back surgery, which caused his stock to fall. However, the Patriots traded with the Oakland Raiders to select him in the second round. Pre-draft evaluations revealed that Raiders scouts had rated him as the 'best all-around player in the draft' before the trade.

Historic Super Bowl Pedigree

Gronkowski's legacy is anchored by four Super Bowl championships: XLIX, LI, LIII with the New England Patriots and LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He holds the most combined receptions (23) and receiving yards (297) by a tight end in Super Bowl history. Among all tight ends, he ranks first in average yards per target at 9.9 and first in average touchdowns per game at 0.69. His ability to perform on the biggest stage was evident throughout his career, as he was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. These accolades confirm his status as one of the greatest players to ever play the position.

Athletic Heritage and Early Development

Born on May 14, 1989, in Amherst, New York, Gronkowski was raised in Williamsville as the second youngest son of Gordon Gronkowski and Diane Walters. His father played college football for Syracuse University from 1977 to 1981, and his great-grandfather, Ignatius Gronkowski, represented the United States in cycling at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, holding five world records. All four of his brothers—Gordie, Dan, Chris, and Glenn—played collegiate sports and later professionally. Gronkowski played hockey until age fourteen before switching to basketball. He attended Williamsville North High School for three years, playing football, basketball, and baseball, before transferring to Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh for his senior year, graduating with a 3.75 GPA and a 1560 SAT score.