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Rob Gronkowski Shares Hilarious Story on Pre-Draft Visit with Patriots, Still Shocked They Drafted Him Afterward

Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski is the life of the party, working hard and playing hard throughout his storied career. But Gronk recently revealed that those habits lead to him having a dreadful pre-draft meeting with the New England Patriots.

“I partied super hard one night, this was one of my mistakes,” Gronkowski said. I partied at University of Arizona one night, got absolutely hammered, had to jump on the flight the next day and start this little tour. So I already put myself in the bag. So I’m going on this tour, no sleep, hungover already, I’m visiting all these teams and then I got to New England and I’m cashed. Like I’m like I don’t even care anymore.”

As as a young Gronk was battling a hangover, he started to care less and less about the specifics of his NFL future during his visits with NFL organizations.

“I was like whatever team takes me, whatever round I go in, whip-de-do; like I’m over this process. Exhausting process, and also I put myself to exhaustion before I even went on the process so it was double exhaustion. So I show up and I’m like I don’t give a flying s–t no more. I go I’m just gonna let it be, I’m gonna let it fly here,” Gronkowski said.

Gronkowski’s Visit with the Patriots

“So I had the most craziest visit man. The comments I was saying to their questions, I just let it fly. And then they went to the playbook, they drew up some play. It was Billy O’Brien the offensive coordinator now back with the New England Patriots,” Gronkowski said. “He 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. Just like that, just like that. And they were just mind blown, they were like this guy is out of hand.”

The hilarious whiteboard session wasn’t the end of Gronk’s legendary visit with the Pats. As later his partying in Tucson, Arizona caught up to him at the worst time possible.

“Then I go upstairs, pass right out, right on the floor. I’m so tired, pass out right on the floor while waiting for the next coach to talk to. So my visit was maybe the worst visit of all time. And I walked away from the New England Patriots, I mean there’s a lot more detail, like how outrageous it was, but we just need the glimpse of it,” Gronkowski said. “And I walked out and I said to myself that team is either going to draft me or that team is either crossing me off the list right now, instantly. I said it’s either or, and then look what happened, they took me, they drafted me.”

New England did in fact draft Gronkowski with the No. 42 overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. And the rest is history, three Super Bowls with the Pats later and a Hall of Fame career.