How Rob Gronkowski Won Bragging Rights At Patriots Team-Bonding Event

Team-building activities are supposed to bring teams together. But it had the opposite effect during one instance for the New England Patriots thanks to Rob Gronkowski.

Gronkowski recently recalled on the “Up & Adams” podcast a time when the Patriots decided to put down the footballs and challenged each other to a 3-point shooting contest.

After much trash talk from his teammates, especially the defensive back group, Gronkowski hilariously walked away with bragging rights, which the skill position players weren’t happy about.

“We had a team bonding moment where we went and had a 3-point contest. Because all the skill guys in the locker room, all they do is talk garbage 24/7, ‘Oh, I’m the best basketball player in the locker room. Oh, I’m the best shooter in the locker room,'” Gronkowski said. “So, finally, we put it to the test. Everyone got together. We had a 3-point contest in the middle of training camp. And guess who won the 3-point contest? Yes, you’re talking to him right now (host) Kay (Adams). I won the 3-point contest.

“I can tell you this: all the skill players were mad. No one congratulated me. … And every day I was just sitting there and they were all talking about how good they are at shooting. I am a secret lethal shooter from the 3-point line. And I was on fire. I beat everyone. The day just didn’t go as planned for them, like always.”

Gronkowski shared that Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Duron Harmon among others thought they believed they were the best basketball players on the Patriots.

And after seeing the clip of Gronkowski reliving the story, McCourty chimed in with the reason why the legendary tight end walked away as the winner.

“The whole team was trying to figure out how the hell Gronk won,” McCourty tweeted. “I blame the terrible rims.”

Gronkowski agreed with McCourty, but also revealed his strategy that helped him come out on top.

“Haha the rims were awful,” Gronkowski responded to McCourty with a tweet. “One of the worst hoops to shoot on by far. With that being said, I had to swish everyone. Lol.”

It’s not a surprise that the 6-foot-6, 265-pound future Hall of Famer would be a pretty good basketball player. After all, Gronkowski averaged 21 points and 18 rebounds as a high school basketball player one season in western New York.

And winning that Patriots 3-point contest is just another feather in the cap for Gronkowski in his sensational career.