Patriots' Great Rob Gronkowski Has Intriguing Career Update
Rob Gronkowski has managed to be one of the more entertaining figures in sports media since his retirement from football.
The former New England Patriot regularly featured on his friend and former teammate, Julian Edleman's podcast, "Games with Names", before starting a separate show with Edelman aptly named "Dudes on Dudes".
Advertisement
Some interesting rumors caught fire earlier this year that Gronkowski could be returning to pro football with the Denver Broncos - ones that were swiftly batted down by "Gronk" and his team.
But it seems like the 4 x Super Bowl champion will have some new role in the near future, according to NFL insider, Ian Rapoport.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
This is fun: @RobGronkowski is headed to Indianapolis." Rapoport writes, "..to give the command to start the "party" at the Indy 500 on May 25. Gronk will be the grand marshal of the infamous Snake Pit (by Turn 3), while his buddy on @NFLONFOX, @MichaelStrahan, is the honorary pace car driver."
Advertisement
Although it may be a surprise to see the future Hall of Fame tight end featured in a sport other than football, his role will not be a shock to many.
The 4 x All-Pro's designation as a party starter at one of the most raucous sporting events of the year is perhaps one of the better pieces of inter-sport matchmaking produced over the past few years.
Gronkowski was well-famed for his off-the-field partying antics during his time in New England - so much so that he even fell asleep on the floor during pre-draft visit with the Patriots.
An apt person to get the party going in Indy!
Related: Patriots' Move For New #1 Receiver Ripped As One Of Free Agency's 'Worst'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
36 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Evan Engram embraces the "Joker" role in the Broncos' offense
Evan Engram entered the NFL eight years ago, as a first-round pick of the Giants. Cut by the Jaguars after five years in New York and three in Jacksonville, Engram has landed with the Broncos. He was asked on Thursday why he chose Denver. 'Everything about it,' Engram told reporters. 'With that question, I could be here for days. Denver was the first team to call when I got cut. Just talking with them and getting to know them, then getting here, getting into the building and feeling the energy here. Meeting some of the guys, hanging out with the coaches and hanging out with the front office. Just the expectations that are here, the team that is here, the quarterback that is here and the coach that is here. I could go on for days. I'm blessed to be here. Everything happens for a reason, and I'm really glad to be in Denver.' He picked the Broncos after making an initial visit to the Chargers. 'It's a great organization there, as well,' Engram said. 'I had a great visit with them, but the best place for me and my family was here in Denver. Just with the offense, the history here, the way the organization takes care of its players. Like I said, I could go on all day. I'm really blessed to be here. It was a crazy process, and I just credit God for putting me in the place that he sees fit.' His fit in Denver will be playing the versatile 'Joker' role in coach Sean Payton's offense. 'That is a cool thing to just embrace,' Engram said. 'Sean talks about it a lot. It was a big part of the pitch coming here. . . . I definitely see that it is something that has to be earned with the way I work and the way that I learn the offense to gain the trust of Sean, Bo [Nix], and the rest of the coaches and players. I think we have a bunch of 'Jokers' on this team, honestly, that can have a great role on this offense. It is definitely something that I like to embrace, but it is also something that I am going to earn, too.' He can become an important piece of the overall effort to close the gap with the Chiefs. Which the Broncos quite possibly could do in 2025, after making it to the playoffs in Payton's second season with the team.
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
Rams' top 'defensive triplets' rank poorly in Sports Illustrated list
Rams' top 'defensive triplets' rank poorly in Sports Illustrated list The Los Angeles Rams defense came on strong at the end of the 2024 NFL season but very much remains a work in progress. The defensive front is sound, but the linebackers and secondary units leave much to be desired, especially heading into 2025. Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano ranked every team's "defensive triplets," which means their top pass rusher, inside linebacker and defensive back. The Rams' group of Jared Verse, Omar Speights and Kamren Kinchens ranked No. 23 on the list. "Verse established himself as one of the top edge rushers in the NFL after running away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year award," Manzano wrote. "The Rams are loaded with pass rushers, but they have a thin group at inside linebacker and cornerback. Perhaps the team's solid safety rotation can pick up the slack in the back end." This aligns pretty closely with the Rams' biggest remaining needs at inside linebacker and secondary. The linebacker corps is young (Speights and 2025 fifth-round rookie Chris Paul Jr.) or unproductive (Troy Reeder and Nate Landman), while the secondary is relatively mediocre overall. There is a lot of room for improvement among both units, but neither are among the best in the NFL could be to the team's detriment if they can't get better in 2025.
USA Today
36 minutes ago
- USA Today
NFL insider on how Aaron Rodgers signing impacts Falcons QB Kirk Cousins
NFL insider on how Aaron Rodgers signing impacts Falcons QB Kirk Cousins With Aaron Rodgers signing in Pittsburgh, where does that leave Falcons QB Kirk Cousins? Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have finally agreed to terms with Aaron Rodgers, they are no longer in the market for Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins. This leaves Atlanta without a clear trade partner as we get closer to the start of the 2025 NFL season. While the team has reiterated that Cousins could return as a backup to Michael Penix Jr., a trade would be best for all parties involved. The Falcons could get out of paying a portion of Cousins' contract and give the veteran quarterback a chance to start elsewhere. However, it takes two teams to complete a trade, and there's no obvious landing spot for Cousins at the moment. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero discussed the Falcons' options during an appearance on the "Rich Eisen Show" Friday morning. "At this point, there's not a clear place for Kirk Cousins to go," said Pelissero. "The Falcons have made it abundantly clear that they are not releasing him. If they were going to do that, they would have done that back in March. It didn't happen." "That is a storyline that probably now is not going to be resolved, I wouldn't think, prior to training camp," explained Pelissero. "But the moment that somebody hits their thumb on a helmet. The moment that somebody pulls up lame with a hamstring, the moment that anything happens to any quarterback, the first question is going to be: is this the team that trades for Kirk Cousins?" So while there's no clear landing spot for Cousins at the moment, that could change as injuries happen around the league. Other options include the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns, but neither team seems desperate enough to commit to Cousins. The waiting game has officially begun.
