“A tad bit taller, and Chris Gronkowski may have been a tight end like his brothers.” This was the headline all over the news, in 2012, when Broncos traded for Chris. Instead, he was the rare fullback to Peyton Manning, who made his way from Dallas. Fast forward to now, Chris Gronkowski sat down with EssentiallySports for an all-exclusive interview on The Dual Threat Show with Brandon Guttman II, as he answered our question: “If you were to name your top five fullbacks for all time, who would you name?” 

Just to be clear, we did allow Chris to name himself on his Mt. Rushmore list of FBs. But sighing out a little ‘nice’ to our heads up on the rules, he admitted that it’d be hard naming just three, let alone naming five. However, for his first pick, he instantaneously went with Moose Johnston. Why? Of course, for the Cowboys connection. But there’s more to it. And what’s better than a classic Chris story?

“So, when I got to the Cowboys, he was the guy that was from upstate New York as well. I talked to him a little bit when I got to the Cowboys. Definitely a mentor for me. A cool kind of similar growing-up story. And played for the Cowboys as well, so that was cool.” In the world of WRs and QBs, where the importance of a blocking back is losing, you might have not heard about Daryl Johnston. Or how Chris called him “Moose,” during his exclusive interview with us.

Johnston spent all 12 seasons of his NFL career (1989-2000) with the Cowboys, and his nickname speaks volumes about his gridiron grit. With his size and power, he was like a moose charging through defenses. Hence, fans named him Moose. And why not? He was key to the Cowboys’ success in the 1990s, helping them win three Super Bowls. No wonder Gronk picked him up first.

But before we move forward with his next picks, just know that he only told us three FBs of all time. Well, he called it even before listing it out so you cannot be mad. And he really did put his thinking glasses on for these.

Moving on, for his second pick, he said, “Man, when I was playing, it was Vonta Leach, I believe, was his name. I just watched him a lot playing, just really the style that he played with, and just was great to watch.” The name must have rung some bells for all the Texans’ fans reading this. And for our other readers, we would like to present another piece of statistic to back Chris’ pick. In 2019, PFF released their ‘Best three-year stretches’, naming Leach third on the list—which had Tom Brady at first and Adrian Peterson in second. On top of this, Vonta rammed his way in between 2010-12, leading the league with 1,022 run-blocking snaps and his dominant 90.4 run-blocking grade was unmatched among fullbacks.

There’s a reason why Chris told us that he would definitely put Vonta Leach on the list “as one of the top guys.” And it is all falling right into place. But here we are, for the number 3, now. Yes, the end of the list. Chris Gronkowski’s last top fullback of all time—Mike Alslott.

Chris Gronkowski on Mike Alstott: “He was running people over!”

There’s a published article by Medium that’s titled – Mike Alstott: The Last of The Rushing Fullback, hailing Alstott for bringing back the power of an FB. Once fading, fullbacks saw new life through Alstott’s legendary rushes. One of the commonalities between the report and what Chris Gronkowski told us during the exclusive interview was, he said, and we quote, “There he was, absolutely, trucking people, just next-level, man!” Just imagine a freight train running towards you. That was the aura Alstott carried with his rushes.

Drafted by Tampa Bay in 1996, Mike Alstott electrified a struggling team. He formed a dynamic duo with Warrick Dunn as an RB. What’s remembered of Alstott’s style is how he left the opposition’s defense bruising. The brutality. And even in the way how Chris told us, “Mike Alstott is 100% up there. Like you don’t even see that anymore. I don’t know. I guess he was more of a running back. Just running people over. So incredible to see.” Alstott carved out a legendary spot in NFL history. He earned six Pro Bowl selections, a franchise record for an offensive player. He also snagged four Associated Press All-Pro honors and was pivotal in the Bucs’ Super Bowl XXXVII victory.

But here’s where it gets interesting—Alstott’s stats. He racked up 5,088 rushing yards, 7,372 total yards, and 73 touchdowns. And keep in mind, this was during an era when the fullback position was on the decline. But, there’s more! A quick search and the Bucs’ official site will tell you that Mike’s their all-time leader in touchdowns (71) and rushing touchdowns (58), outshining Pro Bowl legends like Lorenzo Neal and Larry Centers. Even today’s top fullback, 49ers’ Kyle Juszczyk, has just 93 rushing yards. This only brings us back to what Chris said about us not seeing this anymore in modern-day football. Alstott has surely left an indelible mark in the NFL, especially in that role.

That’s it, folks! That’s all from this segment of the latest episode of the EssentiallySports’ Dual Threat Show with Brandon Gutman II as Chris Gronkowski joined us. But tell us if it was not a masterclass in learning about some forgotten football stars. This is what the show focuses on, bringing engaging segments that offer insights to learn from the journeys of pro athletes. Don’t miss out! Subscribe to the ES x BG12 Show on YouTube to stay updated with all our latest content.