22 Jan Getting to Know New England Patriot’s Tight End Rob Gronkowski
Birth Name:
Robert James Gronkowski
Nickname: GRONK
Born: May 14, 1989 (age 29), Amherst, NY
Height: 6’ 6”
Weight: 265 lbs
Current team:
New England Patriots (#87 / Tight end)
Education: University of Arizona,
Williamsville North High School,
Woodland Hills High School
Family: Gronkowski is the second youngest of five brothers, all of whom played collegiate sports. The eldest, Gordie Jr., played baseball at Jacksonville University, and played several years of affiliated and independent league baseball, last appearing professionally for the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League in 2011. Dan played as a tight end at Maryland and was selected in the 2009 NFL Draft, he played for five years in the NFL.Chris played football for two years at the University of Maryland before transferring to Arizona and playing for four seasons in the NFL. The youngest brother, Glenn, was also a fullback for the Patriots. Rob also played hockey until he was 14; then he started playing basketball.[84] Gronkowski is the great-grandson of Ignatius Gronkowski who represented the United States in cycling at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France and who held 5 world records in that sport.
Drafted: The Patriots drafted Gronkowski with the 42nd pick in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. In his first six seasons, he had 68 receiving touchdowns; only two tight ends in NFL history have had more in their entire careers.
Salary: A $10.75 million payout if he records 90 percent playing time, 80 catches, 1,200 receiving yards, or is named to the All-Pro team.In May 2017 his contract was restructured. After Gronks second season in the league he signed a six-year, $54 million contract with an $8 million signing bonus. Gronk’s endorsement deals have included BodyArmor SuperDrink and Dunkin’ Donuts.
In October 2017, Gronkowski appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank when his brother Chris Gronkowski made a deal with Mark Cuban and Alex Rodriguez for Chris’s company Ice Shaker.
If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be? RG: Insanity. I also do the Insanity workouts.
Growing up which sports did you play?
RG : I played a lot of different sports. In High School I played football, as a tight end, and basketball, as a center, for the Spartans athletic teams.
Growing up in Buffalo, do you enjoying playing in cold weather? RG: I actually don’t mind it. I would definitely say probably because of my roots, growing up in Buffalo, being outside for games and stuff, always outside. Just even playing backyard football. So I like the cold, I like playing in it.
What are you favorite pre-game meals? RG: Pregame you definitely want to carb up. We’ve got sweet potato fries, we’re eating chicken Alfredo with broccoli. You want to get all the nutrients that you need to get all the energy going in with the food. And then a nice clean peanut butter and jelly, with some healthy peanut butter, some fresh jelly, some bread and a banana on it too. And I go in with a nice chocolate milk, too. I love eating a lot right before the game. Because you’re burning, you’re running 90 routes a game you need all the energy, all that fuel to get through all four quarters.
Favorite Dinner? RG: My mother’s home made chicken souffle.
Hobbies?
RG: Love playing other sports, video games, movies, and eating!
Favorite ice cream flavor? RG:Cookies and cream — especially milkshakes.
Do you and Tom Brady have a favorite go to play? RG: I like them all. Whatever plays are working are my favorite plays at the time, but I just like them all. I just like playing the game. Whatever is called, I like the variety of play calls, and I just like going out there and playing the game.
If you stay on pace, you’re going to catch more passes from Tom Brady than anyone in franchise history. What does that mean to you to be linked to him like that? RG: It’s definitely an honor to be able to play with him, him being the high caliber player that he is just taking me under his wing since my rookie year, helping me develop as a player along with the coaches, too. So it’s definitely an honor to come out, work hard every single week and step on that practice field and game field every week.
What do the Patriots want to accomplish this season? RG: We just want to get better every single week. You never go out on the football field and have 100 percent perfection out there. You always make mistakes. You can always get better as a team, so every single week we just want to go out to practice, work on chemistry and go out there and work together as a team.