Rob Gronkowski's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Rob Gronkowski.

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

2008: Earned All-American Honors

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

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.

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: Pro Bowl Nomination

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

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: 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.

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.

2013: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players

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

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

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.

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.

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.

2018: Returns for 2018 season

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

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.

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.