It didn't take long for Rob Gronkowski to introduce himself to Patriots fans. He did so moments after the team selected him in the second round of the 2010 draft, celebrating on stage with his brothers in the most authentic Gronk way imaginable.
It took Bill Belichick even less time to call him in an effort to reel him in, but thankfully the big tight end never allowed that to happen.
The fun-loving Gronk officially retired as a member of the Patriots Wednesday by signing a ceremonial one-day contract, but despite spending his final two seasons of his career in Tampa he was always considered a Patriot by fans and foes alike.
"I'm a Patriot for life," Gronkowski said in his opening remarks. "The whole Gronk persona was all because of you guys, the fans. Everything established about my football career was all about being here."
If first impressions led some to believe Gronk wasn't serious about his football, they would be mistaken. The 6-6, 265-pound block of granite came to New England after missing his final collegiate season at Arizona due to a back injury and immediately showed the Foxborough Faithful what they would come to expect over the ensuing nine seasons.
During a preseason game against the Rams at Gillette Stadium, Gronk grabbed a pair of touchdowns from Tom Brady, the first of which saw him drag linebacker James Laurinaitis the final 5 yards into the end zone. It wouldn't be the last time the tight end physically dominated defenders during his illustrious career.
Whether he was throwing Colts safety Sergio Brown "out da club" during a blowout win in Indy, using those huge "Hamburger Helper" white mitts to make an impossible catch against Denver or just dominating in every conceivable way in countless other games, few tight ends in NFL history impacted the game the way he did.
But his physicality and talent were only part of the story. Gronk also endeared himself to fans with his fun-loving personality and penchant for charitable work all over New England. He visited children in hospitals, helped build playgrounds and did it all with a smile on his face. He never seemed to have a bad day, on or off the field.
"Winning my first Super Bowl here, you know, that was always the ultimate goal," Gronkowski said when asked about his favorite moments. "And that first one will always be my favorite one. And just the feeling and the energy that came with it throughout that whole week after that will be a memory for life. The parade, the duck boats, all that. But winning that first Super Bowl vs. a very solid Seattle Seahawks team when they were going for the repeat. That memory will always be with me."
In his nine years with the Patriots, Gronkowski piled up 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 80 touchdowns, one of which came on a 2-yard run, one of his 18 TDs in a record-setting 2011 season. That campaign resulted in his first of five Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro nominations.
Only injuries managed to slow Gronkowski down, and unfortunately there were many. But each torn ACL, arm or back problem that arose only temporarily slowed the Gronk train. He consistently made his way back onto the field and showed very little drop in production.
Gronkowski recorded the last of his four 1,000-yard seasons in 2017, one year after being limited to six starts due to various injuries including back surgery. He was part of three Super Bowl-winning teams and was a key element in two – catching a touchdown against the Seahawks in SB XLIX and setting up the lone TD against the Rams in SB LIII. He also had nine catches for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the loss to the Eagles in SB LII.
Few Patriots have ever displayed an aura and brilliance that rivaled that of Brady, but it's not a stretch to say that Gronkowski managed a spot right beside his quarterback.
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