Who the Heck is Mark Gronowski?

Who the Heck is Mark Gronowski?

If you’re anything like me, you spend way too much time checking the Dolphins’ depth chart during the offseason. If so you would have noticed a new name currently listed as the fourth quarterback on the roster for Miami, Mark Gronowski. Now it’s very unlikely that an undrafted free agent will make the final roster; however, I feel like it’s prudent to look into the rookie ahead of the preseason. 

The 24-year-old 6 ft 2 in, 226-pound Gronowski signed with Miami after going undrafted this past April. Prior to that, he was an absolute star at FCS South Dakota State. In four years as a starter for the Jackrabbits, Gronowski went a ridiculous 49-6. 

He brought his team 2 FCS National Championships in 2022 and 2023. He was also named the MVP of both games. In 2023, he won the Walter Payton Award given out to the best offensive player in the FCS. That year, he threw for 3,058 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He also added 402 yards on the ground while scoring 8 rushing touchdowns. 

He was an absolute force at the FCS level. He threw for 10,308 yards, 93 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions while rushing for 1,767 yards and 37 touchdowns. After dominating the second level of college football, he transferred to Iowa ahead of the 2025 season. 

Division 1 football would not be as kind to Gronowski as FCS had been. While he managed to go 9-4, his passing stats dropped off a cliff; he threw for 1,741 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in 2025. He did make up for his lack of passing production with his ground game, as he rushed for 545 yards and 16 touchdowns. He would improve his career record to 58-10, making him the winningest quarterback in college football history. 

He would cap off the season with a 34-27 victory over Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl. After the season was over, he would take part in the East-West Shrine Bowl, where he would throw for 86 yards and rush for 28 while earning the game’s MVP award. 

He would enter the 2026 NFL draft, but despite his gaudy FCS numbers, questions remained regarding his ability to adapt to the pro game. The New York Times had this to say about Gronowski ahead of the draft. 

“Gronowski is a big, sturdy passer and forces teams to defend both his arm and legs. He is poised from the pocket but at his best as a ball carrier and on designed movements (naked rollouts, waggles, bootlegs, etc.), on which he can access his athleticism and toughness. Though he processes well and has a powerful arm, his timing and ball placement lacked consistency the last two seasons, in both the FCS and FBS. However, his intelligence, intangibles and resume will speak to NFL teams.” 

Ultimately, his shortcomings would cause teams to stay away from him in April. The Dolphins decided to take a chance on Gronowski’s athleticism and signed him in May of this year. He will have a chance to compete with Cam Miller for the third quarterback spot for Miami. The pair were rivals in the FCS with Miller playing at North Dakota State so they are extremely familiar with each other. That alone makes this competition an exciting one to keep an eye on. 

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