History of Rob Gronkowski in Timeline

Rob Gronkowski, nicknamed "Gronk," is a retired American NFL tight end, widely considered one of the greatest of all time. He played nine seasons with the New England Patriots and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gronkowski is a four-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a four-time first-team All-Pro selection. He was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, solidifying his legacy as a dominant force in professional football.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1924: Great-Grandfather Competed in Olympics

In 1924, Ignatius Gronkowski, Rob Gronkowski's great-grandfather, represented the United States in cycling at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

1977: Father Played College Football

In 1977, Gordon Gronkowski, Rob's father, began playing college football as a guard for Syracuse University.

1981: Father's College Football Career Ended

In 1981, Gordon Gronkowski's college football career at Syracuse University ended.

May 14, 1989: Robert James Gronkowski Born

On May 14, 1989, Robert James Gronkowski, nicknamed "Gronk", was born. He would later become a professional football tight end.

Others born on this day/year

2001: Brandon Manumaleuna's Draft Record

In 2001, Brandon Manumaleuna set the record for the highest drafted tight end out of Arizona, a record that Gronkowski would later break.

2006: Last Rushing Touchdown by Tight End

In 2006, Bo Scaife had the last rushing touchdown by a tight end before Gronkowski's in 2011.

2006: Moved to Pittsburgh and Attended Woodland Hills High School

In 2006, Gronkowski moved to suburban Pittsburgh and attended Woodland Hills High School for his senior year.

2007: Attended University of Arizona

In 2007, Gronkowski attended the University of Arizona and played for the Arizona Wildcats football team as a freshman.

2007: Graduated from Woodland Hills High School

In 2007, Gronkowski graduated from Woodland Hills High School with a 3.75 GPA and a 1560 SAT score.

2008: Recorded 10 Touchdowns

During the 2008 season, Gronkowski recorded 47 receptions for 672 yards and a team-best ten touchdowns for the Arizona Wildcats.

2008: Parents Divorced

In 2008, Gronkowski's parents, Gordon Gronkowski and Diane Walters, divorced.

2008: Earned All-American Honors

In 2008, as a sophomore playing college football for the Arizona Wildcats, Gronkowski earned third-team All-American honors.

2009: Missed Junior Season Due to Back Surgery

Gronkowski missed his junior season in 2009 due to back surgery, which impacted his draft stock.

2009: Played Last Season at Arizona

Gronkowski played his last season for the Arizona Wildcats football team in 2009.

April 2010: Bill Belichick's Comments on Gronkowski

In April 2010, Coach Bill Belichick provided commentary on Rob Gronkowski, highlighting his size, attitude, and aggressive playing style.

July 25, 2010: Signed Contract with the New England Patriots

On July 25, 2010, Gronkowski signed a four-year contract with the New England Patriots, valued at $4.4 million with a $1.76 million signing bonus.

September 26, 2010: Debut of the "Gronk Spike"

On September 26, 2010, Gronkowski debuted his signature touchdown celebration called the "Gronk Spike" after scoring his second NFL touchdown.

2010: Exceeded Reception and Yardage Totals

By the end of 2011, Rob Gronkowski exceeded his 2010 reception and yardage totals in just eight games.

2010: Named to the NFL All-Rookie Team

In 2010, Gronkowski was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team and received a writer's vote for the Associated Press All-Pro Team.

2010: Drafted by the New England Patriots

In 2010, the New England Patriots selected Gronkowski in the second round of the NFL draft, with the 42nd pick.

2011: First Touchdown of the Season

In 2011 during Week 1, Gronkowski caught his first touchdown of the season on a 10-yard pass from Tom Brady in the Patriots' victory over the Miami Dolphins.

2011: Record Breaking Season

In 2011, Gronkowski broke the NFL record for tight end receiving yards. He ended the season with 1,327 receiving yards, 17 receiving touchdowns, and 18 total touchdowns.

2011: Led League in Receiving Touchdowns

In 2011, Gronkowski set an NFL record by becoming the first tight end to lead the league in receiving touchdowns with 17.

2011: Pro Bowl Nomination

In 2011, Gronkowski was nominated in the Pro Bowl, finishing fifth in fan balloting at tight end

June 8, 2012: Signed Contract Extension

On June 8, 2012, Gronkowski signed a six-year, $54 million contract extension, the largest ever for an NFL tight end.

2012: "Yo soy fiesta!"

During an on-air interview with ESPN Deportes after an AFC Championship win in 2012, Gronkowski responded in Spanish answering, "¡Yo soy fiesta!" (literally, "I am party!") when asked how he will celebrate the victory. The clip went viral, and his Gronk Nation, L.L.C. later trademarked the catchphrase.

2012: Forearm Injury and Pro Bowl Nomination

In 2012, Gronkowski broke his left forearm and earned a Pro Bowl nomination despite missing playing time. He was ranked 25th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

2012: Queen's Guard imitation

In 2012, Gronkowski imitated a Queen's Guard before his touchdown celebration while playing at Wembley Stadium in the United Kingdom.

2012: Voted Starting Tight End for AFC at Pro Bowl

In 2012, Gronkowski was voted the starting tight end for the AFC at the Pro Bowl and was voted tight end for the AP All-Pro first team.

2012: "Gronk Flakes" Manufactured

In 2012, PLB Sports began manufacturing "Gronk Flakes", a frosted cornflakes breakfast cereal named after and endorsed by Gronkowski. Its initial run of 64,800 boxes cost $3.99 each and available at Stop & Shop supermarkets in New England.

2012: First Fumble since 2012

In the opening game against the Houston Texans, Gronkowski had seven receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown in a 27–20 victory. He also fumbled for the first time since 2012.

February 2013: Forearm Infection Diagnosis

In February 2013, Gronkowski was diagnosed with an infection in his forearm and underwent an open procedure.

May 20, 2013: Fourth Surgery on Forearm

On May 20, 2013, Gronkowski underwent a fourth surgery on his forearm to replace hardware and perform tissue biopsies. Doctors were encouraged that the infection had finally resolved.

June 18, 2013: Back Surgery

On June 18, 2013, Gronkowski underwent back surgery.

October 20, 2013: Cleared to play against the New York Jets

Gronkowski was cleared to play for the October 20, 2013, game against the New York Jets.

December 8, 2013: Right Knee Injury

On December 8, 2013, during a game against the Cleveland Browns, Gronkowski suffered a right knee injury, tearing his ACL and MCL, which prematurely ended his 2013 season.

2013: First meeting with Camille Kostek

Gronkowski and Camille Kostek first met at a Patriots charity event on Thanksgiving 2013.

2013: Contract Remained Intact

In 2012, despite his recent contract extension, the 2012 and 2013 seasons of Gronkowski's rookie contract remained intact.

2013: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players

In 2013, Rob Gronkowski was ranked 25th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players.

December 2014: "A Gronking To Remember" Published

In December 2014, an erotica novel inspired by Gronkowski called "A Gronking To Remember", written by Lacey Noonan, was published.

A Gronking to Remember: Book One in the Rob Gronkowski Erotica Series

Check it on Amazon

2014: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Nominations

In 2014, Gronkowski earned his third Pro Bowl nomination and his second First Team-All Pro nomination. He finished the season with 82 receptions for 1,124 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.

July 2015: Memoir Published

In July 2015, Gronkowski co-wrote a memoir titled "It's Good to be Gronk" with Jason Rosenhaus, published by Simon & Schuster's and Derek Jeter's Jeter Publishing, which became a New York Times Bestseller.

It's Good to Be Gronk

Check it on Amazon

September 10, 2015: Three Touchdowns vs. Steelers

On September 10, 2015, during the Patriots' home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gronkowski caught five passes for 94 yards, scoring three touchdowns in their 28–21 victory.

November 29, 2015: Right Knee Injury Against Broncos

On November 29, 2015, in the Patriots' first loss of the season against the Denver Broncos, Gronkowski had to be carted off the field after a right knee injury in the fourth quarter.

2015: Comeback Player of the Year Award

At the 2015 ESPY Awards, Gronkowski won the Comeback Player of the Year award for his 2014 season. He was ranked 10th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.

2015: Appearance in "Entourage"

In 2015, Gronkowski appeared as fictionalized versions of himself in the film "Entourage".

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2015: Financial Habits

In 2015, Gronkowski stated that he had not spent any of the money he has made from his NFL contracts and strictly lived off the earnings from his business ventures, endorsement deals, and appearance fees.

2015: Tom Brady Quote

In 2015, Tom Brady described Gronkowski as a one of a kind person, player, and friend who is one of the most positive people he has ever been around.

2015: "Gronk's Hot Sauce" Released

In 2015, after the success of the cereals, PLB Sports released "Gronk's Hot Sauce".

2015: Relationship with Camille Kostek

Since 2015, Gronkowski has been in a relationship with model Camille Kostek.

2015: Gronk Fitness Started

Started in 2015, Gronkowski and his four brothers operate Gronk Fitness, a fitness business that sells Gronk-branded gym equipment and has partnerships with other fitness companies including Life Fitness and Xtreme Monkey.

May 2016: Raiders Scouts' Evaluation Revealed

In May 2016, pre-draft evaluations revealed that Raiders scouts had rated Gronkowski as the "best all-around player in the draft" in 2010.

December 3, 2016: Placed on Injured Reserve

On December 3, 2016, Gronkowski was officially placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk.

2016: Co-host of Crashletes

From 2016 to 2017, Gronkowski was a co-host of Crashletes on Nickelodeon.

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2016: Ron Burton Community Service Award

In 2016, Gronkowski received the Ron Burton Community Service Award from the New England Patriots for his charitable works and leadership in the local community.

2016: Madden NFL 17 Cover

In 2016, Gronkowski was featured on the cover of the video sports game Madden NFL 17 published by EA Sports for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. The cover featured the tight end in his signature touchdown celebration called the "Gronk Spike".

2016: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Selection

In 2016, Gronkowski was selected to the Pro Bowl and to the AP All-Pro first team for the fourth time in his career.

February 5, 2017: Super Bowl LI Victory

On February 5, 2017, the Patriots won Super Bowl LI, earning Gronkowski his second Super Bowl championship, though he was on injured reserve.

December 19, 2017: Named to Pro Bowl

On December 19, 2017, Gronkowski was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.

2017: Started Healthy

Gronkowski began the 2017 season healthy after missing much of the previous season on the injured reserve list.

2017: Appearances in TV shows and film

In 2017, Gronkowski appeared in an episode of "Family Guy" entitled "Gronkowsbees", had roles in the films "American Violence" and "You Can't Have It", and competed in TBS's "Drop the Mic". The same year, Gronkowski appeared on ABC's "Shark Tank".

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2017: Tide Endorsements and PSA

In 2017, Gronkowski appeared in several advertisements for Tide, including commercials for Super Bowl LI. He was also the endorser of Tide Pods and partnered with the brand for a public service announcement discouraging children and teens from eating the laundry detergent pods after a viral internet challenge.

2017: Executive Producer of MVP

In 2017, Gronkowski executive produced and hosted Verizon's Go90 original show "MVP" in which business owners and entrepreneurs pitch their products or services to a panel of VIP athletes.

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2017: WrestleMania 33 Cameo

In 2017, Gronkowski made a cameo appearance during the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33 to help his friend Mojo Rawley.

January 2018: All-Pro First Team

In January 2018, Gronkowski was named to the Associated Press' All-Pro First Team, earning him a $2.5 million incentive.

January 21, 2018: Concussion in AFC Championship Game

On January 21, 2018, Gronkowski suffered a concussion during the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, being placed on concussion protocol.

July 2018: Joined Shark Week

In July 2018, Gronkowski joined Discovery Channel's Shark Week where he helped tag endangered tiger sharks in The Bahamas.

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December 9, 2018: Last Touchdown before retirement

On December 9, 2018, Gronkowski made a touchdown catch before announcing his retirement

2018: Returns for 2018 season

On April 24, Gronkowski announced he would return for the 2018 season.

March 24, 2019: Retirement from NFL

On March 24, 2019, Gronkowski announced his retirement from the NFL at 29 years old.

March 26, 2019: Merit Award from United Service Organizations

On March 26, 2019, Gronkowski accepted the Merit Award from United Service Organizations which recognizes individuals of outstanding creative talent who are dedicated to serving others through volunteerism.

April 6, 2019: Wish Hero Award

On April 6, 2019, Gronkowski was honored with the Wish Hero Award by the Make-A-Wish Foundation for his work on granting 14 wishes of children with life-threatening sicknesses during his professional football career.

August 2019: CBD Oil Advocate

In August 2019, Gronkowski credited cannabidiol (CBD) oil for making him pain-free for the first time in a decade and has advocated sports governing bodies to allow players to use it for pain management.

2019: World Fame 100 List

In 2019, Gronkowski entered ESPN's "World Fame 100" list of most famous athletes in the world; the outlet estimated his endorsement income the past year alone was $8 million.

2019: Fox Sports Analyst

In 2019, Gronkowski joined Fox Sports as an analyst for its NFL programming during his year-long retirement, making his on-air debut during Fox NFL Thursday. Gronkowski also co-hosted Fox's New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey in New York.

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April 2020: Starred in "I'll Wait" music video

In April 2020, Gronkowski and his partner Camille Kostek starred in the music video of "I'll Wait" by Kygo.

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April 2020: Coming out of Retirement

In April 2020, Gronkowski said that taking a year off was the best decision for his health and well-being.

April 21, 2020: Traded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On April 21, 2020, Gronkowski agreed to come out of retirement and was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reuniting him with Tom Brady.

May 27, 2020: Team captain in Game On!

On May 27, 2020, Gronkowski served as team captain in the sports-based comedy panel game Game On! which premiered on CBS and ran for one season.

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June 1, 2020: Lost WWE 24/7 Championship

On June 1, 2020, after being the longest-reigning champion of the title in a single run, Gronkowski lost the WWE 24/7 Championship to R-Truth.

October 2020: Rhino Named After Gronkowski

In October 2020, ZooTampa at Lowry Park named their newly born greater one-horned rhino "Gronk" to celebrate Gronkowski joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

October 18, 2020: First Touchdown with Buccaneers

On October 18, 2020, Gronkowski caught his first touchdown with the Buccaneers in a 38–10 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

2020: Only Rushing Attempt

As of the conclusion of the 2020 season, Gronkowski's 2011 rushing touchdown was his only rushing attempt of his career.

2020: Gronkowski played all sixteen games

In 2020, Gronkowski had a rare season where he played all sixteen games.

March 2021: NFT card collection sold

In March 2021, Gronkowski's first NFT card collection sold for $1.2 million.

March 22, 2021: Re-signed with Buccaneers

On March 22, 2021, Gronkowski re-signed with the Buccaneers on a one-year deal worth $10 million.

2021: Charitable Donations

In 2021, Gronkowski and his partner Camille Kostek donated more than 20,000 pieces of personal protective equipment to hospitals and fire departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also donated $1.2 million to renovate the Charlesbank Playground at Boston's Charles River Esplanade.

2021: Injury plagued season

In 2021, Gronkowski suffered multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung during a Week 3 game versus the Los Angeles Rams, causing him to miss seven weeks. He finished the 2021 season with 55 receptions for 802 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.

April 9, 2022: Co-hosted Kids' Choice Awards

On April 9, 2022, Gronkowski co-hosted the 2022 Kids' Choice Awards with Miranda Cosgrove on Nickelodeon.

June 21, 2022: Second Retirement Announcement

On June 21, 2022, Gronkowski announced his retirement from the NFL for a second time.

February 2023: Partnership with animal health company

In February 2023, Gronkowski formed a partnership with an animal health company to raise awareness about valley fever in animals.

September 2023: Discussed vaccine development for valley fever

In September 2023, Gronkowski met with members of the United States House of Representatives to discuss the development of a vaccine for valley fever.

October 15, 2024: "Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules" premiered

On October 15, 2024, the podcast "Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules" premiered, which was founded in partnership with his former teammate Julian Edelman and Assaf Swissa.

October 2024: Nuthouse Sports Established

In October 2024, Gronkowski partnered with Julian Edelman and Assaf Swissa to establish Nuthouse Sports, launching the podcast "Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules."