Rob Gronkowski’s larger-than-life personality was on full display during his recent appearance on the Bussin With the Boys podcast, where he dove into some wild rumors about his former New England Patriots teammate Aaron Hernandez. When asked about whispers that Hernandez was, let’s say, multitasking in team meetings in ways that had nothing to do with playbooks, Gronk didn’t exactly deny it. “That’s a possibility, that one,” he said with a laugh, adding, “I may or may not have seen it live. I’m not going to confirm nor deny.” Classic Gronk—keeping it vague but leaning into the chaos with a grin.
The contrast between these two former Pats tight ends couldn’t be starker. Gronkowski, a likely future Hall of Famer, built a legacy with four Super Bowl rings and a reputation as a lovable, hard-partying superstar. Hernandez, on the other hand, spiraled into tragedy—convicted of first-degree murder in 2015 for the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, only to be found dead in his prison cell two years later at age 27, an apparent suicide. Their time together in New England from 2010 to 2012 was electric on the field, but off it, their paths couldn’t have diverged more.
Gronk’s take on the Hernandez rumors was pure, unfiltered Gronk. “I love crazy s**t, though,” he said. “I didn’t mind things like that. I was like, ‘Wow, that was pretty epic.’ I was a wild man myself. Nothing fazed me.” That’s the Gronkowski we know—a guy who once spiked a football so hard it became a meme, who partied as hard as he blocked. The idea of Hernandez doing something outrageous in a meeting? To Gronk, it was just another Tuesday. Posts on X lit up with reactions, some fans cracking up at his nonchalance, others stunned he’d even entertain the story.
But Gronkowski didn’t just lean into the wild tales—he gave props to Hernandez’s football IQ. “That guy knew the plays inside and out, the run game and pass game, in like the first two weeks of being in New England,” he said, admitting he struggled to grasp the Patriots’ complex system until Week 8. Hernandez’s on-field brilliance—1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns in 38 games—made him a dynamic weapon alongside Gronk, forming a tight end duo that terrorized defenses. It’s a bittersweet nod to a talent that burned bright before it burned out.
This story’s a reminder of the highs and lows of that Patriots era. Picture Gronk and Hernandez in the huddle, tearing up the league, while behind the scenes, one’s living the rockstar life and the other’s heading toward a darker path. Gronk’s ability to laugh off the absurdity while still respecting Hernandez’s game speaks to his unique lens on a wild time. For Pats fans, it’s a nostalgic gut punch—two larger-than-life figures, one still spiking life with a smile, the other a cautionary tale gone too soon. Gronk’s not spilling all the tea, but he’s giving just enough to keep the legend alive.
