Former NFL player Rob Gronkowski. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Gronkowski reveals surprising Super Bowl pick

Former Patriots and Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski unveiled his Super Bowl prediction on Wednesday, and it may come as a shocker.

"I'm gonna go with the Dallas Cowboys," the Fox Sports analyst and four-time Super Bowl champion said on FanDuel's "Up and Adams. "I mean, they've been making the playoffs every year. This is the year they get over that edge."

Betting on Dallas to hoist its sixth Lombardi Trophy isn't baseless. The Cowboys are coming off consecutive 12-win seasons and upgraded their roster this offseason, acquiring wide receiver Brandin Cooks and former Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Plus, Pro Bowl linebacker Micah Parsons should reach another level this season after finishing second in DPOY voting for two straight seasons. Per OddsChecker, he's favored to win the award.

However, Dallas faces a difficult road to the Super Bowl. It's tied with the Patriots and Giants for the third-most difficult schedule in the NFL, via NFL Research. And the Cowboys aren't the top team in the NFC East since Philadelphia is the defending conference champion.

Under head coach Mike McCarthy, Dallas has had little success in the playoffs, only winning one game and suffering back-to-back losses against the 49ers over the past two seasons. Regardless, he remains confident about his team's chances.

"Definitely," McCarthy said at the beginning of training camp when asked if the Cowboys can win a title. "In order to break down the door, you've got to get to the front porch every single time. So I think we have definitely established that."

The play of quarterback Dak Prescott — who led the NFL in interceptions last season (15 in 12 games) — will determine if the Cowboys break the door. The two-time Pro Bowler bouncing back after an inconsistent season increases their chances significantly.

Per OddsChecker, Dallas has the sixth-best Super Bowl odds, so it's a legitimate contender.

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