Tom Brady‘s laser-focused habits didn’t just make him the undisputed quarterback king. They also molded Rob Gronkowski into a tight-end terror that haunted defenses for years. That’s the inside scoop from New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis, who’s seen his fair share of gridiron greatness.

In a candid chat on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” today, Davis lifted the curtain on Brady’s chess-master mentality. “Tom Brady, when you study him, he loves the middle of the field,” Davis explained. “He’s like he’s playing chess, and you know you want to dominate the middle of a chess board and that’s what he’s done that’s why his tight end is the greatest tight end of all time” This obsession with controlling the field’s heart? It was Gronk’s training ground.

Brady’s rapid-fire decision-making was like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. “You can even know what he’s about to do, but he’s going to do it quicker than you can respond to it,” Davis added. This breakneck pace forced Gronk to level up, honing his routes and reactions to razor-sharp precision.

The Brady-Gronkowski connection wasn’t just about physical prowess. It was a meeting of football minds that left defenses in the dust. Brady’s ability to read defenses like a book meshed perfectly with Gronk’s knack for finding soft spots in coverage. As Davis noted, “Tom’s a very hard guy to study for… he’s going to go from his slant if it’s open in the middle… if he realizes that guy’s covered, he’s going to the next one.”

This dynamic duo, forged in the crucible of Patriots practice sessions, became an unstoppable force on game day. The numbers don’t lie. In a Patriots’ uniform, Gronkowski amassed a staggering 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. This is an average of 15.1 yards per catch. For perspective’s sake, the hall of fame receiver Jerry Rice averaged 14.8 yards per reception in his illustrious career.

Do you remember that time when Brady connected with Rob for a huge 29-yard gain in Super Bowl LIII? That was no fluke at all. It was as a result of many practice reps where Brady threw tight spirals and Gronk made impossible catches seem easy stuff. To quote Neil Reynolds from Sky Sports, “Gronk was an every-week reminder that the NFL was growing bigger, stronger and faster with each passing year.”

The secret sauce in Rob Gronkowski’s GOAT recipe

However important Brady’s habits and Gronkowski’s mastery were to their success story; any talk about how the Patriots won’t be complete without bringing up Bill Belichick’s idiosyncratic ways. The hoodie-wearing genius helped turn around Rob Gronkowski into a legend.

Ernie Adams, a long-time Patriots insider, blew the whistle on why Gronk was Belichick’s dream player. “The thing that distinguishes Rob, he can block like a tackle and catch like a big receiver,” Adams expressed in a “Games with Names” discussion this month. “There are other guys, you know, who you play tight end, could be a little better route runners, a little more receiving tight ends, but you know, none of them could block the way that Rob would.”

Belichick’s infamous “do your job” slogan was perfect for Gronk to blossom in. The coach’s obsession with adaptability drove Gronkowski to excel in all aspects of the tight-end role. As Adams said, “You throw it in his neighborhood, he’s going to catch it.” At 6’6″ and 265 pounds, Gronk was a physical anomaly. As Reynolds pointed out, “Gronk was basically an offensive tackle blessed with the ability to run deep downfield, catch passes and run away from defenders.” 

This unique combination of size, speed, and skill made him a nightmare for defenses. And yet Davis is no slouch either. Leading the team in tackles for six straight seasons, the Saints captain has been a tackling machine. In 2023 meanwhile, he matched his career-high with 6.5 sacks; meaning Davis still has more than enough gas left at 35. His ability to pick off the Brady himself speaks volumes about his football IQ.

“I was dropping out in the hook and I knew Tom was going on to go from his slant if it’s open in the middle it was a 3×1 picture trip I knew he was going to hit the middle of the field…I dropped out and I wasn’t supposed to do it but I bumped the three like I was watching him and as soon as he saw me do that he thought the slot was open and I fell into the next window and it was an interception” He reminisced of the meetup with Brady.

Ultimately, this perfect storm of Brady’s unyielding willpower, Belichick’s tactical brilliance, and Gronk’s unrivaled talent made a legend. When we look back at the New England dynasty, however, it is clear that Gronkowski’s greatness was created through the idiosyncrasies and character traits of the legends around him. And that folks is how you build a GOAT.