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SPORTS Tuesday 26 March 2019
Gronk unleashed: Gronkowski sets course for retirement fun

By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
Rob Gronkowski the foot-
ball player is finished.
Yeah, but what about
Gronk?
Well, the party is about to
go bazooka .
Look out for Gronk gone
wild, Gronk unhinged,
Gronk unleashed. Without
football strings attached,
Gronkowski is suddenly a
hot free agent year-round,
his talents pitched to far
more than 32 suitors, from
Hollywood to endorse-
ments to, well, whatever
Gronk wants.
He was fun-loving and fear-
less, a dominant tight end
whose Super Bowls were
won with New England and
whose playful personality
won over even the most
casual fans. Gronkowski,
who announced Sunday
that he is retiring from the In this Feb. 3, 2019, file photo, New England Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski (87) celebrates with teammates after the NFL Super Bowl 53
NFL after nine mostly domi- football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta.
nant, title-filled seasons, set Associated Press
scores of records for the tank on New England’s final rushing. Giant battle royal. Gronkowski found victory
Patriots at his position and drive. He had two catches GRONK GONE WILD Gronk vs. The Rock? lane just as fun as the end
could light up the score- on the Patriots’ go-ahead The final image of Gronk vs. Brock? zone when he partied with
board like his smile can light touchdown drive, the sec- Gronkowski in a Patriots uni- With WrestleMania just Daytona 500 winner Kurt
up a room. ond catch set up Sony Mi- form, greatness. weeks away, the goofy Busch and team owner
Super Bowl wins were great. chel’s 2-yard score in the The final image of Gronk Gronkowski could crash the Tony Stewart in 2017. He
Boy, was it so much more win over the Rams. out of uniform, hilarious. show again and get mixed had Monster Energy drinks
fun just being Gronk. Tom Brady to Gronk, one He celebrated the Super up in more shenanigans. and Monster girls all around
He stood tall at the Super more time for a title. Bowl title on the parade Heck, “Gronk” doesn’t him, a winning combo in
Bowl and WrestleMania ; “I like making big catches route by stripping off his even need to make up a an offseason pit stop for
won big games and took like that,” Gronkowski said. shirt , chugging beers, flip- ring name. Gronk.
on gamers; starred on the Gronkowski went out a ping his hat backward and GRONK THE ENTERTAINER “I’m just having a blast,”
field and in film; and did champion — and he may acting like a frat boy on a Gronkowski might find his he said. “I never really
it all with a goofy charm be headed to Canton. float. A hurled beer from NFL bio condensed on a got to tailgate. I never re-
that belied a gritty tight He had 10 catches for 145 the crowd that ricocheted Hall of Fame plaque down ally got to run-around (on
end who seemingly always yards and three touch- off his hulking chest was the the road but there’s al- Sundays). It’s cool to run
played through pain. The downs in New England’s final hit in his career. most no way it could fit around and meet people,
Patriots are going to miss win at Denver in an AFC Di- Gronk seemed to make as in his offseason activities. enjoy the atmosphere, see
Gronkowski as they try for visional playoff win in 2011. many TMZ clips as NFL Films Gronkowski was a hit with what really goes down on
yet another Super Bowl Gronkowski might have highlights. the average fan — from this side of the stadium.”
championship. been more impressive in Earlier this month, TMZ re- kids to grandparents — be- GRONK SAID IT
So let’s take a look at what the 2015 AFC champion- ported, “Gronk and his bi- cause of his endearing per- “Yo soy fiesta.”
made Gronk so great, and ship game, when he con- kini model girlfriend have sona that made him about Always the life of the party,
what could be ahead: verted two fourth-down at- taken their hotness to sea as A-list as any athlete. He Gronkowski quipped he
GRONK THE GOAT tempts on the game’s final ... “cause the couple put had a personal “Talk with was the party in an inter-
Gronkowski never would drive and had eight recep- on one hell of a twerk fest Gronk “ that poked fun at view with ESPN Deportes
have had a sustained tions for 144 yards and one on a boat in Mexico.” Peter any idiot who wanted to after one of New England’s
run as a popular pitch- touchdown, perhaps his King prose, this was not. eat a Tide Pod. He hosted Super Bowl wins. He was
man , hosted kids shows or best effort in a crushing de- Who knows where Gronk “Crashletes” on Nickelode- a hit in any language, es-
popped up in movies had feat. Gronkowski is the only will end up in retirement. on , was a fed a beer bong pecially compared to the
he not been one of the NFL tight end with more Or do we? by Patriots teammate Ju- milquetoast Brady. Among
greatest tight ends — yeah, than 500 career receptions Gronkowski has a standing lian Edelman in the “Entou- his best just-for-laughs
probably the greatest — who averaged more than offer from WWE to move rage” movie, and played takes, reading erotic Gronk
in NFL history. Gronkowski 15 yards per reception. from the gridiron to the a heightened, animated fiction to Jimmy Kimmel
was hobbled by injuries last He averaged nearly 69 squared circle and be- version of Gronk on “Family such as, “I would have the
season and played just 13 yards per game and come a professional wres- Guy.” pleasure to spike a foot-
games, and each ache cracked juvenile jokes tler like his childhood friend, Late night TV host Conan ball between butt cheeks,”
raised constant questions about setting a record 69 Mojo Rawley. Gronkowski O’Brien once invited he told a Boston talk radio
about possible retirement. TDs for a tight end, thanking stormed over the barricade Gronkowski and Seahawks station that he was a virgin
Gronkowski had plenty left his mom when he reached at WrestleMania in 2017 running back Marshawn and said Patriots fans were
in the Super Bowl and still the mark. He finished with and bro-hugged Rawley Lynch to play a stirring “going bazooka” at Gillette
had clutch catches in the 79 TDs receiving and one after he won the Andre the game of “Mortal Kombat.” Stadium.q