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Rob Gronkowski Addresses Infamous 'Hungover' Ohio State Visit Photo

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 6:22 PM ET

Rob Gronkowski's backstory behind an old photo played out exactly the way one would expect.

On the Green Light podcast, former NFL defensive lineman Beau Allen asked Gronkowski about an infamous photo from a 2006 visit to Ohio State. A high school senior at the time, Gronkowski looked disheveled while attending a Buckeyes football game against Michigan.

Gronkowski called it "a special moment" to finally discuss the photo. The former star tight end vividly recalled the eventful evening before that game.

"My two very good friends, they went to The Ohio State University. They're a year older than me, so they were already in college," Gronkowski said. "So I was like, 'Oh, perfect. I'll take a visit to Ohio State, go out with my buddies the night before, and then go to the game.' And we go out until like 2 or 3 a.m. to some frat houses, playing Beer Pong, all that good stuff."

The lore behind one of Gronk’s most legendary photos pic.twitter.com/7eygxbsTWm
— Green Light with Chris Long (@greenlight) April 7, 2025

However, Gronkowski wouldn't confess to any underage alcohol consumption.

"I'll just say I was drinking water because I was only 18 years old at the time," Gronkowski said. "So it was just water, but I was feeling good off the water."

Gronkowski added that he and his friends got into two fights and "threw a couple of haymakers." He's glad that happened before everyone had cell phones with cameras to catch him.

"We had a little brawl as well, which was fun," Gronkowski said. "That's the whole point of these visits."

As is evident from his untidy appearance in the photo, Gronk paid the price the next morning.

"I'm feeling like a disaster. I go to the game and someone takes a picture of me looking like that," he said. "All that water that I drank got me feeling like that."

Gronkowski ultimately attended Arizona, where he probably drank plenty of water while scoring 16 touchdowns. The Ohio State picture often surfaced on social media later in his legendary NFL career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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