Robert James Gronkowski is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played his final two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is a four-time Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI, LIII, LV), a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time first-team All-Pro selection, and was selected to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
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.