Rob Gronkowski will forever be a New England Patriots legend. However, when he left to end his career elsewhere, it did sting a little bit.
But when he returned on Monday, April 19 to serve as the grand marshal at the 2024 Boston Marathon, he had the perfect words to describe exactly how much this place means to him.
“It’s still home, man. New England will always be a part of history in my heart and will always be a home in my heart as well,” Gronkowski said to WCVB-TV Boston. “There’s no doubt about that. I’ll always be coming back.”
“The people here are amazing and that’s why I’m here as the grand marshal too, because I just love the energy that Boston has just, the whole New England area has," Gronkowski added. "You’re going to feel that energy today here on this course. But also at the same time, I love giving back to the community, especially here in New England."
Gronkowski started his career with the Patriots, and stayed for nine years, and of course, three Super Bowl Championships.
“This means a lot to the city of Boston as well. It means a lot to myself,” Gronkowski said. “Since I’ve been here and got drafted to the New England Patriots in 2010, my teammates and the whole entire community in New England welcomed me with open arms. So it’s just an amazing honor to be here and to represent the city of Boston and all of New England. And this is a worldwide event as well. So I’m just excited for it.
But when he left in 2020 to join Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was hard to lose two Patriots legends so quickly. And while he did spend two seasons in Tampa Bay that included another Super Bowl championship, nothing can ever replace New England.
“When I first got here, everyone was supporting myself. Everyone was supporting the New England Patriots. Everyone was supporting the football team. So it’s just great to give back whenever you have the opportunity, especially now that I’m done and have more time on my hands.”
A Patriot forever.
More must-reads: