When Rob Gronkowski came to Gillette Stadium ahead of the 2010 NFL Draft, he made quite the impression.
The infamous story of the tight end's first trip to Foxborough included him falling asleep after arriving at the stadium, having to be woken up by offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and tight ends coach Brian Ferentz. When the interview was over, Gronkowski knew that he had been completely himself, calling his agent and delivering a clear message.
“When I did fall asleep, and I had an outrageous interview…outlandish. There’s no doubt about that,” Gronkowski recalled when speaking with reporters on Wednesday. “But there is one thing about it, because I was being myself. And at the same time, I called my agent, Drew, right after the interview… I said this team either loves me or they just crossed me off their board, and there’s absolutely no chance that they’re drafting me. And in the end, they loved me.”
The Patriots ultimately selected Gronkowski in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, which turned out to be one of the best decisions the team ever made.
“I’m super grateful. It’s the best situation that I could have possibly endured going to the New England Patriots,” Gronkowski said. “I was even mad a couple of times getting passed on from a few other teams in the first round and early second round. But literally it all works out, and it was the organization I needed to be in, just a regime and just the schedule and how everything’s run, what with coach Belichick and how the Patriots were doing.
“I needed that tight-knit scheduling. I needed to be nitpicked on and coached hard as well. And that’s the exact reason why I felt like I was drafted into the Patriots organization.”
And what made Gronkowski so beloved during his time with the Patriots was that he was himself, letting fans always see the fun and crazy side. Last year, he signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a Patriot, and now he will be in the team's Hall of Fame.
Everything happens for a reason, which includes Gronkowski's pre-draft interview.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Rob Gronkowski recalls how outrageous interview sealed Patriots fate