FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced today that tight end Rob Gronkowski has been voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame as the 38th inductee. It is the fourth straight season that a three-time Super Bowl Champion with the Patriots has entered the Patriots Hall of Fame after WR Julian Edelman in 2025, Tom Brady in 2024 and Mike Vrabel in 2023.
The date and time for the 2026 Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be announced after the 2026 schedule is released and details are confirmed with the inductee.
"Rob Gronkowski's performance on the field was extraordinary, but it was his infectious energy and consistently positive presence that truly set him apart," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "He always brightened everyone's day. He earned the respect of coaches and teammates through his work ethic, preparation and unselfish approach, while redefining what it meant to play his position. Rob became a fan favorite almost immediately and remained the standard at tight end for nearly a decade. We look forward to celebrating his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame and, in time, the Pro Football Hall of Fame."
Gronkowski played for nine seasons (2010-18) with the Patriots after originally entering the NFL as a second-round draft pick (42nd overall) out of Arizona in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was a part of nine AFC East Division Championship teams, eight conference final teams, five AFC Championship teams and three Super Bowl Championships with the Patriots. He totaled 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdown receptions in the regular season and posted 81 receptions for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in the postseason. He ranks first in Patriots history with 80 total touchdowns (79 receiving and one rushing), and his 7,861 receiving yards are second in team history. In 2011, he set an NFL single-season record with 17 touchdown receptions by a tight end and a then record of 1,327 receiving yards (now sixth in NFL history). He earned five Pro Bowl selections (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017) and four Associated Press First-Team All-Pro honors (2011, 2014, 2015 and 2017). After retiring following the 2018 season, Gronkowski returned to the NFL and finished his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he earned a fourth Super Bowl ring in 2020. He is a member of the Patriots All-Dynasty Team and 2010s All-Decade Team. He became the first tight end in NFL history to post three seasons of 1,000 yards receiving and 10-plus touchdowns (2011, 2014 and 2015). In addition, he became the first tight end in NFL history with three straight 10-plus touchdown seasons (2010-12). Gronkowski's 1,389 postseason receiving yards are fourth in NFL history and his 15 postseason receiving touchdowns are third in NFL history. His 32 100-yard receiving games are the second most among all tight ends. He finished his career ranked sixth among all tight ends with 9,286 receiving yards and third with 92 touchdown receptions.
Beginning in 2007, the Patriots started a new tradition, giving fans an opportunity to select one player into the team's hall of fame each year. The process involves a panel of media, alumni and staff who collectively nominate the players or head coaches most deserving of induction. After the nominations are made, the committee votes, and the top three tallies become that year's finalists. Fans are then given a few weeks to vote online to select that year's inductee. The Patriots are the only team in the NFL that allows its fans to make the final selection for enshrinement into the franchise's highest individual honor. In addition to the fans annually selecting a nominee for induction, a senior selection committee has added three members to the Patriots Hall of Fame, and Kraft has extended the honor to five contributors.
The New England Patriots held their annual nomination committee meeting on Wednesday, April 1, to discuss, deliberate and vote for this year's candidates for induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
About The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX
The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and one of the only sports and education experiences of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and historical artifacts, the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX showcases the tradition of the New England Patriots, explores the history of football in New England and promotes math and science education for the thousands of schoolchildren who visit each year. It is also home to the Patriots' six Lombardi Trophies. For more information, please visit www.patriotshalloffame.com.
The 33 former players who have been selected to the Patriots Hall of Fame are listed in alphabetical order below, with the year of induction listed parenthetically. In addition, the five people who have been added as contributors are listed in chronological order:
- Houston Antwine (2015)
- Bruce Armstrong (2001)
- Drew Bledsoe (2011)
- Tom Brady (2024)
- Troy Brown (2012)
- Tedy Bruschi (2013)
- Nick Buoniconti (1992)
- Gino Cappelletti (1992)
- Raymond Clayborn (2017)
- Ben Coates (2008)
- Sam Cunningham (2010)
- Bob Dee (1993)
- Julian Edelman (2025)
- Kevin Faulk (2016)
- Leon Gray (2019)
- Steve Grogan (1995)
- Rob Gronkowski (2026)
- John Hannah (1991)
- Rodney Harrison (2019)
- Mike Haynes (1994)
- Jim Lee Hunt (1993)
- Ty Law (2014)
- Matt Light (2018)
- Willie McGinest (2015)
- Stanley Morgan (2007)
- Jon Morris (2011)
- Jim Nance (2009)
- Steve Nelson (1993)
- Vito "Babe" Parilli (1993)
- Richard Seymour (2020)
- Andre Tippett (1999)
- Mike Vrabel (2023)
- Vince Wilfork (2022)
Contributors by Year:
- William H. "Billy" Sullivan, Jr. (2009)
- Gil Santos (2013)
- Tracy Sormanti (2021)
- Dante Scarnecchia (2023)
- Bill Parcells (2025)
