Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski has been active in the media as a prominent figure in the football world since retiring from his playing career.
After an illustrious career with the New England Patriots, he joined Tom Brady in signing with the Buccaneers, which saw them capture one more Super Bowl ring together. For Gronkowski, it capped off a remarkable career as one of the best tight ends the sport has seen.
Right now, as the Kansas City Chiefs look to win their third straight Super Bowl, Travis Kelce is set to continue adding to his incredible career, keeping himself in the conversation with Gronkowski as one of the best to play the position.
Kansas City Chiefs tight en Travis Kelce (87) during the first half in the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Naturally, they receive comparisons. Gronkowski, in a recent appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand,” the legendary tight end spoke on the comparisons.
“Travis Kelce is built differently than I am,” Gronkowski explained. “He’s built to be in that type of offense and to be that type of player, and to not really be used in the blocking game as much as a guy like myself. I’m built at 6-foot-6, 265 [pounds] to be a complete package, be in-line, blocking tackles, blocking linebackers, blocking defensive ends, and that was the style of offense I was in as well. And that’s the style of football I want to play as well, because I believe the blocking got me open.
“I feel like I wouldn’t have as much success if I was in an offense that was just more spread out, and I wasn’t lining in-line as much, because the play-action game is what got me open [the] majority of the time. It got me basically half of my yards as well when Tom just faked the hand-off and just dumped it to me.”
Simply put, Gronkowski won. His style of football wasn’t for the most receptions or yards — it was to win football games and do a little bit of everything at the position to achieve such. He won four Super Bowls in his career, with one coming in Tampa.
Inglewood, CA, USA; Rob Gronkowski on the field prior to the LA Bowl game between the California Golden Bears and the UNLV Rebels in the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Kelce wins, too, though, and he does so in an entirely different style. Gronkowski was used far more in the blocking scheme than Kelce is.
“I’ve had that thought before, but I just don’t think that would work with who I am,” Gronkowski said. “I’m a complete tight end. I’m the whole package. I feel like I wanted to be able to block defenders out there and have the running back run behind me through a gaping hole.”
With an upcoming Super Bowl appearance, Kelce can add to his resume and further the comparisons, though their games aren’t as similar as some think — and Gronkowski isn’t shy in saying that.
“It’s just the way that we’re built overall,” Gronkowski said. “He fits the scheme that he’s in, and I fit the scheme that I was in. So, I’m very satisfied with the style that I played, man, and I would never see myself playing a different style either, ever.”
