The Summer of Rob Gronkowski Is Endless

Much has been made of the “Summer of Gronk,” which has really reached new heights this offseason but has been an annual tradition dating back years. Drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft, Rob Gronkowski has become a force of nature, not just in New England, but nationwide.

His first two years in the league weren’t quite as eventful off the field, as a young guy learning the ropes, but it’s hard to imagine he didn’t get a lot of practice in offseason activities while attending the University of Arizona. Considered the Harvard of Southeast Arizona in some undiscerning circles, in 2014 it was also ranked the No. 4 party school in the nation by Playboy (h/t AZCentral.com’s Ryan Van Velzer).

He is easily one of the most notable athletes or celebrities to come out of UA, a prestigious list that includes Kourtney Kardashian, Nichole Richie, Geraldo Rivera, Gilbert Arenas and Mike Bibby. Like 40 percent of the university’s student body, Gronkowski may not have graduated from Arizona, but he certainly walked away with its essence forever ingrained in him.

He is the living, breathing embodiment of everything a Wildcat wants to be: rich, famous, athletic and the life of every party he attends. It doesn’t work out like that for most of them, but it did for Gronkowski, who is the de facto king of wherever he is at a given time. Seriously—even the White House, which we’ll get to.

For now, let’s begin in October 2011, when Gronk first really went off the “Patriot Way” script on a trip back to Arizona during the team’s bye week. While there, he was photographed shirtless with porn star BiBi Jones, who happened to be wearing his jersey. Jones posted the photo to Twitter, with Gronkowski’s permission, and the pearl-clutching American sports world immediately went into meltdown mode:

Those were the days... pic.twitter.com/mquevSVNZs

— Amber Lee (@blamberr) April 25, 2015

Though a great many would argue neither Gronk nor Jones did absolutely anything wrong, Gronkowski nonetheless issued a half-hearted (and likely mandated) apology—if you can call it that. Rather than strenuously towing the party line, Gronk simply said he never meant to “intend anything to hurt the reputation of anyone on the New England Patriots or on behalf of [owner] Robert Kraft.”

Appearing on 98.5 The Sports Hub (h/t ESPN.com) the following week, Jones also needlessly addressed the issue. She said nothing romantic happened with Gronkowski and insisted the photo was only meant to increase his Twitter following.

For anyone else living the “Patriot Way,” that might have been the beginning and end of testing the boundaries.

Which #spiritjersey should I get for that special lady on game day? Let's go #Patriots http://t.co/QlWBzGP76k #ad pic.twitter.com/oRezw9hr4R

— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) January 16, 2015

Obviously, however, Gronk isn’t just anyone—this we know by now.

A few months later, Gronkowski upped the controversy impressively, rankling a lot more feathers in New England in the process. Following the Pats’ devastating loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, Gronk made an obscene amount of headlines for dancing the night away at the loser party.

For some reason, his actions seemed to rub a lot of people the wrong way, but his presence was the only thing that elevated the event above a funeral.

It was at that moment he established himself as the NFL’s No. 1 party boy. That offseason he spent the summer being paid five-figure sums to make appearances, which included meet-and-greets, photo ops and shot-gunning brew in between games of beer pong.

Chronicling what was the first official “Summer of Gronk” for Sports Illustrated, Chris Ballard dubbed him “The Last Happy Man” in a profile published that September:

The Last Happy Man. Gronk is certainly happier than anyone I've ever known. pic.twitter.com/IjR1KDs5cX

— Amber Lee (@blamberr) April 25, 2015

Ballard’s assessment was as honest as it was accurate.

Gronkowski had a happy childhood with a loving family, including an overly doting mother and three large brothers. Unlike the backstory of so many professional athletes, Gronk’s is not one of sadness and strife. In fact, you get the sense that the only rainy days the Gronkowski boys ever experienced were nothing more than a pre-planned gift from the gods to give them a reason to stay in and play video games.

In November 2012, Gronkowski suffered a broken forearm, which kept him out through the duration of the regular season and rendered him ineffectual at best in one playoff game.

Within weeks of getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Ravens, Gronk turned up on social media again, this time wearing his now infamous “Sorry For Partying” green tank top. The implication being the exact opposite—that Gronk was, in fact, not sorry for partying.

Gronk at Universal Studios in a "Sorry for Partying" tank top. Totally believe him (http://t.co/mGXQnPOT) pic.twitter.com/pcIwX8DH

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 12, 2013

Patriots fans looking for an apology from Gronkowski about the way he spends his offseason probably didn’t like the not-so-subtle message in February 2013. Maybe he was just that tone deaf to the situation, or maybe Gronk knew exactly what he’s doing. Considering he’s been doing the same thing ever since, the smart money is on the latter.

Though at this point, it doesn’t seem like many fans are looking for this guy to explain himself. Gronk being Gronk tends to be good enough, perhaps having realized a red Solo Cup can’t change its colors. Gronkowski missed much of the 2013 season due to a knee injury, but he was as visible as ever throughout and following the season. Nothing is going to ever force this guy into hiding.

It’s logical to believe that Gronk’s trip to Whole Foods in December 2013 was the product of a public desperate for him in his absence, but believe it or not, it wasn’t the first or last time Gronkowski’s grocery shopping would make news. It happened in October 2012, and it happened again in April 2014. Oh yeah, and it happened just a few months ago in January 2015.

We’re talking about an NFL player, who is not a quarterback, who has reached a level of celebrity in which damn near everything he does is newsworthy. It’s actually a bit surprising that there isn’t a Patriots beat reporter assigned strictly to Gronk’s grocery shopping trips. In February 2015, it was front-page sports news on the Daily Mail that he had split his pants at a wild Super Bowl party.

what the hell RT @DailyMail: Classic Gronk http://t.co/b8WNT7YWiC pic.twitter.com/TSBoglt2qH

— Lindsey Adler (@Lahlahlindsey) February 3, 2015

Gronkowski split his pants surrounded by shapely blondes, and naturally, it didn’t look like he had a care in the world. Like it was an inevitability of the night anyway! Which, let’s be real, it probably was. It’s a wonder he even bothered wearing pants to the party in the first place. It was the only natural progression, given the epic “Summer of Gronk” in 2014, which included a cameo in the Entourage movie.

Still a work in progress, the main difference between the Gronkowski we used to know and the one we know today is that he’s found his voice. For years it was just pictures, YouTube videos and posts on social media, but today’s Gronk has got plenty of stuff to say...and he says it...whenever...to whomever...he wants. Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s said regardless:

Gronk. With a kitten. On his head. Honestly, you need no more reason to click. http://t.co/dhb0guiSHC pic.twitter.com/ff6ocblFPU

— ESPN The Magazine (@ESPNMag) December 11, 2014

Because it's just impossible to post this too often: http://t.co/dhb0guiSHC pic.twitter.com/rKWpwS3n4J

— ESPN The Magazine (@ESPNMag) December 18, 2014

Remember those ADORABLE KITTENS with Gronk? Well, meet Tawny, Chestnut & Sepia. !!!!! http://t.co/VpJqDQh4Td pic.twitter.com/MPqHoMjqQa

— ESPN The Magazine (@ESPNMag) December 17, 2014

Gronkowski isn’t just a talented football player with a penchant for partying anymore–now he’s both of those things with things to say. Like...lots of things to say. Which makes him an even more alluring profile prospect for major publications such as ESPN The Magazine, which published a profile with Gronk in December 2014, complete with a number of photos of him with kittens that immediately went viral.

In an interview with ESPN The Magazine’s Lindsay Czarniak, Gronk painted a fascinating, yet amazingly simplistic, picture of his life. Fully aware of his celebrity, Gronkowski knows just walking down the street can cause a riot, so he does his best to blend into the crowd with a hoodie and sunglasses. Not easy for a 6’6”, 265-pound tight end to blend in anywhere.

Out Friday, the #InterviewIssue! This year's newsmakers, including @RobGronkowski, @TimHowardGK & @serenawilliams! pic.twitter.com/vTyIaewU7P

— ESPN The Magazine (@ESPNMag) December 9, 2014

Gronk also revealed that he is always working on his dance moves, which he insists help him on and off the field. He spoke fondly of his relationship with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who receives nothing but caught passes from his stud tight end for Christmas. But apparently Gronkowski brings out a “childlike quality” in Brady, who is known for being just a wee bit serious.

Gronk reveals a softer side with the kittens too, admitting he likes to snuggle. But he balances it out with more than enough tough-guy stuff, noting that he’s truly addicted to working out. Every night before bed he’s got to get to his sit-ups and push-ups, which sounds like serious stuff, except he does it while watching SpongeBob SquarePants.

Until recently, Gronkowski has been known as an unrepentant and devout bachelor, but in 2015 he’s shown some interest in the ladies. Sometimes in only a way he can get away with. Over the last few months he’s openly flirted with a number of female sports reporters on air, including local talent Tara Molina of Fox 4 Fort Myers and national name Charissa Thompson from Fox Sports.

It’s fair to say he had a bit more luck asking the local lady about her Valentine’s Day plans than hitting on Thompson.

Proving once again he may be looking to settle down, in whatever way that may look for Gronkowski, on the recent premier of The Jim Rome Show on Showtime (h/t TMZ Sports) Gronk spoke (perhaps too) at length about what, exactly, he was looking for in a wife. In short, he’s looking for a woman who cooks, cleans, makes a ton of money, stays at home and lets him do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

Well, that all sounds reasonable.

Proving once again that nobody (at least at ESPN) can get enough of Gronkowski, in April 2014, ESPN’s Sam Alipour published another day-in-the-life-of piece entitled “Rolling with ‘Officer’ Gronkowski.”

Entertaining as it is repetitive, Alipour trails Gronk for what seems like an excessive amount of time on the party bus know as the “Summer of Gronk.” Fresh off a Super Bowl win, the fourth of the Tom Brady era, Gronk is a hotter commodity than ever.

Believe it or not, Gronkowski is set to release an autobiography distributed by recently retired Yankee Derek Jeter’s publishing house entitled It’s Good to be the Gronk. Something Jeter must be writing himself, since Gronk has proudly boasted that he hasn’t read a book sine ninth grade. Not that it matters—the Simon and Schuster book will sell no matter what.

This has been Gronk’s best summer to date. A few weeks ago, he was playing Flip Cup on ESPN’s Sports Nation, having lost the game but setting a new high on the show’s punching machine. Honestly, besting a punching machine seems like a much higher achievement than winning at Flip Cup, so once again, Gronk wins:

Looks like @RobGronkowski is our new leader on the SN Punching Machine! #GronkNation pic.twitter.com/yjtBIEGmtx

— SportsNation (@SportsNation) April 7, 2015

Speaking of winning, Gronkowski recently visited the White House with the rest of his Super Bowl championship Patriots, and of course, he managed to steal the show—upstaging everyone, including President Barack Obama. Gronk was quick to shoot down the president as maybe “being wasted” after Obama made a Deflategate joke, according to CBS Boston.

6 awesome moments from today's White House visit: http://t.co/04IfvWlGbU pic.twitter.com/4h1dHxiNl5

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 23, 2015

According to the Daily Intelligencer (via NY Mag) “Obama also, inevitably, told jokes about Gronk during his remarks. ‘I told him to keep his shirt on,’ he said. ‘He asked me what would happen if he took it off. I said the Secret Service probably wouldn’t like it. He said, ‘What could they do to me?’”

Uh...probably nothing...since he could insinuate the president was wasted without so much as a friendly chuckle. That’s not to say that Gronk deserved any sort of retribution for what was obviously a joke, but only further evidence that everything he thinks, says and does is totally OK.

Rob Gronkowski's girlfriend Camille Kostek is music video star — http://t.co/M0e76BDbX1 pic.twitter.com/HU8BlZlyaF

— Sun Times News (@News_STN) April 24, 2015

That being said, the biggest event of Gronkowski’s offseason might just be his newly reported relationship with former Patriots cheerleader, Camille Kostek, who is now a reporter, according to TMZ Sports.

The pair have been spotted out and about on a number of occasions recently, and reportedly they’re not trying to keep their relationship a secret. Gronkowski and Kostek are openly dating. Though how serious the couple is really depends on which news outlet you’re most inclined to believe. NESN Boston says they’re “dating,” while the New York Post says Kostek “stole Gronk’s heart.”

No matter the case, it seems the one thing we know for sure is that the “Summer of Gronk” is endless. With each somehow improving upon the former. The only thing for sure in this dark and dangerous world these days, is that nothing is better than being Rob Gronkowski.

@NFLrecord Thanks for hooking me up with this sick ride all week!! Thanks for driving man @ARtvKimatni #Porsche #Safe pic.twitter.com/bQtlCns7

— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) February 3, 2013

Seriously, just ask him.