Rob Gronkowski & Tom Brady: A Look Back At Their Friendship Through The Years

Rob & Tom share four Super Bowl rings and a friendship that is as legendary as their NFL careers! Find out more about it here!

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady are definitely friendship goals taken to the next level! The two superstar NFL teammates have formed a tight bond over the years, which has matured into a lasting bromance both on and off the field. The Rob and Tom dynamic is so effortless, they can enjoy the spoils of winning Super Bowls or nurse their wounds after losing at the Kentucky Derby. Either way, this relationship is one for the books.

“I would say basically the friendships are developed over football too,” Rob explained to reporters in 2018. “Over studying football together, getting together in the offseason, extra stuff during the season and you just want to build that up so you can be on the same page and be the best chemistry possible that you can be.” Tom returned the sentiment at the time, saying, “Well, I think that speaks to our relationship and I feel as strongly about him as he does about me. I love the guy. He has had a big impact on my career personally, professionally.”

With Tom recently reversing his decision to retire and Rob still undecided if he will return next season to play, the bromance of all bromances has been put to the test. As we impatiently wait to see if Rob will don his helmet one again and if it will it be a Buccaneers one alongside his BFF Tom, let’s take a look at how the brotherly love all began in the first place. Keep reading for the Rob & Tom relationship timeline, below!

The beginning of the bromance.

Tom started his quarterback career with the New England Patriots in 2000. In 2010, the team drafted Rob 42nd overall in the second round of the NFL Draft as a tight end, bringing the two powerhouses together for the first time. During Rob’s rookie year, Tom threw to him 59 times, allowing Rob to score ten touchdowns.

Super Bowl showstoppers.

In 2015, Tom and Rob won their first Super Bowl together with the Patriots. In the game against the Seattle Seahawks, Tom threw Rob an incredible 22-yard touchdown pass. The win would be the first of their three Super Bowl wins together for the Patriots.

Ahead of the game, Rob gushed about Tom in the locker room to reporters. “It’s just an honor to play with him. He’s going to his sixth Super Bowl, that just speaks of the respect everyone has of Tom, it just speaks of the level of play he has … Tom’s the leader, comes in, always humble, always working hard, and it just takes off on other players.”

Kentucky Derby fun.

After their first Super Bowl win, the bromance headed to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby where they blew off some steam watching the famous horse race. Later, Rob would tell ESPN his favorite memory of the trip was watching the Tom do a shot of Fireball, as the athlete is notoriously health conscious. “Seeing him take a shot,” Rob recalled. “Just seeing his face after, like in disgust, like, ‘I’m putting this alcohol in my body.'”

Boston Red Sox hijinks.

Win their second Super Bowl win, the pair were invited to the Boston Red Sox home opened in 2017. When Tom took the mound to throw out the first pitch, Rob came up and snatched his Patriots jersey. The friends then chased each other around the field like a couple of school kids until they fell down laughing.

Riding together in Tampa.

Tom shocked his fans by announcing he was leaving the Patriots after two decades to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. Having left the NFL a year earlier, Rob revealed he would be coming out of retirement to join Tom on the Florida-based team. When Tom heard the news, he celebrated with an Instagram shout-out, saying, Time to run it back Gronky!”

Rob was adamant that the incredible reunion was not planned. “It kind of just happened. With my retirement and him hitting free agency, it just kind of lined up like that,” Rob explained, according to The Tampa Bay Times.

Now that Tom has signed on with the Buccaneers, only time will tell if Rob decides to bring the band back together for another shot at the big title!