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NFL legend Rob Gronkowski recalls getting in fights at Maryland

Originally posted on Maryland Terrapins on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated May 21, 2025 9:56 AM ET

With his playing career now over, NFL legend Rob Gronkowski has become known for his hilarious takes and commentary surrounding all things football. This week, 'Gronk' made his first appearance on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast hosted by Will Compton and Taylor Lewan. During the interview, Gronkowski shared a funny story about the experience visiting his brothers, Dan and Chris, at the University of Maryland.

Both Dan and Chris played football at Maryland while Rob was still in high school. At the time, Rob was a four-star tight end who eventually committed to the University of Arizona, but he recalled spending a good amount of time in College Park as a young recruit. Unfortunately for Maryland fans, most of that time spent at Maryland consisted of things unrelated to football.

"I used to fight all the time when I was a senior in high school, because I would visit my brothers at the University of Maryland and they were just bad*** mother*******," Gronkowski recalled. "Him and his roommates... they would just brawl every weekend. I would show up and just join the brawls with them. We would literally walk from the bar and just try to pick a fight on the way home. Like I was running into people on purpose. And then, next thing you know, it's a five-on-five brawl. I was getting thrown down a hill. My brother kicked the guy in the face. Next thing I know I look up the hill and the guy's falling down the hill that threw me down the hill."

Despite the fun times in College Park, Gronk committed to Arizona where he played from 2007-09 under former head coach Mike Stoops. Although he was with the Wildcats for three seasons, he missed his entire junior season due to a back injury. He finished his collegiate career with 1,197 yards and 16 touchdowns on 75 receptions.

Passing on the opportunity to return for one more season of college ball, Gronkowski opted to pursue his dream of playing at the next level... and that's when his career really took off. Selected in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, Gronkowski would go on to become a 4x Super Bowl champion, 5x Pro Bowler, and set multiple NFL records as a tight end.

You can watch the full interview below: