Who would have ever thought Rob Gronkowski probably had the “worst visit of all time” in his pre-draft meeting with the New England Patriots back in 2010?
In fact, it was a meeting that went so off the rails that there was a possibility the Patriots could have passed on the legendary tight end altogether.
It all started with a party at the University of Arizona and ended with Gronkowski passed out on a floor after completely blanking on the playbook in a meeting with Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
“I partied super hard one night. This was one of my mistakes. I partied at University of Arizona one night, got absolutely hammered, had to jump on a flight the next day and start this little tour,” said Gronkowski, during an appearance on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast. “So I already put myself in the bag. So I’m going on this tour—no sleep, I’m hungover already.
“I’m visiting all of these teams, and I got to New England and I’m cashed. I’m like, ‘I don’t even care anymore. Whatever team takes me, whatever round I go in—whippy doo.'”
Gronk recaps his pre-draft visit with the Patriots, which couldn’t have gone worse. Beyond hilarious that Belichick still took him after this 🤣
(Via @Jason_Tartick’s Trading Secrets Podcast) pic.twitter.com/cMX7ggowMI
— Boston Sports Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) February 14, 2023
Gronkowski admitted he wasn’t taking things seriously in the beginning because it was during a time when other players were getting into trouble and still getting big contracts.
So he thought he’d just let it fly and do the same exact thing.
However, everything came to a head when he came face-to-face with O’Brien. The Patriots’ offensive coordinator drew up a play, and Gronkowski completely whiffed on recalling it.
Imagine showing up for the biggest test of your life and suddenly forgetting everything you’d ever learned. That was Gronkowski in a meeting with a team that had won three Super Bowls in the last 10 years at that time.
“[Bill O’Brien] drew up a play, he came back and I didn’t know one single thing. My mind was shut off, and I basically said something like, ‘It doesn’t matter. Just throw me the football,'” said Gronkowski. “Just like that. And they were just mind-blown.
“They were like, ‘This guy is out of hand.’ Then I go upstairs, pass right out—right on the floor. I’m so tired and pass right out on the floor, while waiting for the next coach to talk to. Passed right out. So my visit was probably the worst visit of all time.”
After leaving the meeting, Gronkowski knew the Patriots were either going to draft him or mark him off the list on that very day. It was an all-in or all-out sort of scenario.
Fortunately for both sides, the Patriots were all-in, Gronkowski got his act together and the team went on to win three more Super Bowls with him on the roster. But this still makes for a great “what-if” story.
What if Gronkowski never went to the Patriots and joined another team instead? How greatly would that have impacted the team’s success over the years?
