Rob Gronkowski’s “retirement” didn’t last long, as the All-Pro tight end has decided to return to the NFL after sitting out only one season. He won’t be rejoining the Patriots, though, as New England traded Gronkowski to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reuniting him with quarterback Tom Brady.
While this development might be bittersweet for Patriots fans, there’s no denying Gronkowski’s 10-year run in New England was both extremely successful and wildly entertaining. So, let’s relive the 10 best “Gronk being Gronk” moments of his Patriots tenure, with an emphasis on the antics that reflected his unique personality.
The spike has been a touchdown celebration for years, yet somehow Rob Gronkowski managed to claim it as his own.
The former Patriots tight end scored enough touchdowns in his second year — 17 to be exact — that his thunderous celebration became commonly known as the “Gronk Spike.” He certainly has had some doozies through the years, with some spikes standing out more than others — on and off the gridiron.
One of his best came across the pond in London when the Patriots faced the St. Louis Rams in 2012. Gronkowski delivered a picture-perfect spike after walking like a royal soldier, a topical homage to the well-known Buckingham Palace guards.
4 more days until kickoff in London. The 4th best moment in #NFLUK so far: @RobGronkowski.http://t.co/TTSb04fqpE pic.twitter.com/37TYWBdvAL
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) September 30, 2015
Another classic came on the ice.
Just days after the Patriots’ Super Bowl XLIX win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Boston Bruins welcomed the champs to TD Garden for a ceremonial puck drop. Except, Gronkowski had other ideas for the “puck drop,” as he pulled off a trademark spike, launching the puck into the crowd.
Then, who could forget the one against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017?
After a drive that saw Gronkowski catch four passes in dominant fashion, the Patriots went back to him for a two-point conversion. Gronkowski proceeded to laugh in the face of Steelers safety Sean Davis before spiking the ball emphatically.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/942553224560615424?s=20
The “Gronk Spike” might not look the same in a different uniform, but Patriots fans sure saw plenty over the years and should be thankful for that.
