“My Visit Was Probably the Worst Visit of All Time”: Rob Gronkowski Revisits 13-Year-Old Mistake That Almost Cost Him His Hall of Fame Career

For 11 years, Rob Gronkowski was one of the most fearsome candidates on the field for defensive opposition across the NFL. And the future Hall of Famer became Tom Brady‘s first-choice offensive weapon. However, it could have all gone astray 13 years ago during Gronk’s New England visit.

It had to do with the party animal image that the former Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end is famous for. And according to a recent podcast appearance, the excessive partying before his visit with the Patriots could have cost Gronkowski his legendary career.

Rob Gronkowski revisits the worst visit of all time

Rob joined Jason Tartick on The Trading Secrets podcast and revealed some interesting trivia about his pre-Patriots lifestyle. Gronk narrated how he got “absolutely hammered” drunk at the University of Arizona, a day before his NFL pre-draft visit tour started. And going through the grueling workout, and being hungover, became daunting even for the iconic Gronk Beach host.

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“I’m going on this tour. I’m falling. No sleep. I’m hungover already. I’m visiting all these teams and then I got to New England. And I’m cash. I’m like I don’t even care anymore,” Gronkowski began. With the partying adding to the exhaustion, Gronkowski could barely make sense of what was happening.

Present-day Patriots OC Bill O’Brien could not believe what he saw. Gronk could not answer the questions at the visit. And when the Pats drew up some plays, Rob was in no place to perform. “He drew up a play. He came back, and I didn’t know one single thing. My mind was shut off. I basically said something like it doesn’t matter, just throw me the football. And they are just mind blown,” Rob said.

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After the play-calling disaster, Gronkowski didn’t have any strength left. And while waiting to talk to the next coach, the tight end passed out in the middle of the floor from exhaustion. After leaving the facilities, Rob was certain that the New England Patriots will either draft him or cross him out entirely, devoid of any middle ground.

“My visit was probably the worst visit of all time,” he said. But Gronk had hope. And mainly because he felt a lot of players had signed big deals despite being troublemakers in the league. “It was the year when so many NFL players were getting in trouble and they were still getting opportunities. Another team would sign them. This is like 2009-10. I’m gonna do it too,” he claimed.

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However, things seem to have gone Gronk’s way as he teamed up with Brady and Bill Belichick in one of the greatest dynasties of the NFL. Gronk won three Lombardis at Foxborough, before joining Brady at sunny Tampa to add the fourth championship to his shelf.