Before Rob Gronkowski became one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history for the New England Patriots, he had one goal in mind as a wild kid out of Arizona.
To play for the Buffalo Bills.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The Amherst, New York native had always wanted to be a member of the team he grew up rooting for when he was a college athlete. There's just one problem with that:
The Bills simply didn't draft him.
Gronkowski ended up going in the second round of the 2010 draft to the Patriots where he became one of the greatest receiving threats in NFL history.
Looking back at his career on the Dan Patrick show, Gronkowskiy detailed how angry he was the hometown Bills didn't draft him, but how lucky he was to end up playing with Tom Brady and New England.
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"I think it worked out for the better when they passed on me twice and I always used it as motivation as well," Gronkowski said. "You know I was really (upset) that they didn't take me but deep down I kind of knew that when I got drafted to the New England Patriots that it was a way better situation at the time."
Gronkowski finished with 74 receptions for 1,132 yards and 12 touchdowns against the Bills over his 11-year NFL career. He made sure the Bills understood how much of a mistake it was to pass on him back then.
With four Super Bowls and multiple tight end records to his resume, it's clear Buffalo passing on Gronk was the best thing for him to be the Hall-of-Famer he grew into.
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This story was originally published December 11, 2024, 3:52 PM.