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Gronk, Brady evolve to effortless connection
Kevin O'Donnell reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Tom Brady believes he knows Rob Gronkowski so well that he can read his mind. It’s a connection that has produced the second-most touchdowns between two players in NFL history. Their ability to alter plays with just a look or cue in the heat of the action took time to develop.
"It took a while," admitted Gronkowski. "It wasn’t like I walked in when I was a rookie and we had it down. I would say [it took] about a year. He saw the potential [in me with] the page I can be on. At the beginning, we were up and down. It was basically like I was up and down because he knew what he wanted out of me and I didn’t totally understand everything. I would say [it took] about a year. By the end of my rookie year, we had that connection going and we followed up with it big time in the offseason after my first year. From there on out from my second year in the league, we were kind of on the same page and just working on it year-in and year-out."
"We've played together. I know basically every situation that's come up," said Brady. "I know how he would deal with it. So much about football is anticipating what the problems will be as opposed to trying to figure out how to solve the problem after the play. I think a lot of it is solving the problem before things happen. ‘Gronk’, he knows what I'm thinking, I know what he's thinking. We've just done it so long together. It's really nice. It's a great luxury for two position players like that that have played together for as long as we have."
Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady celebrate after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The two believe their bond gets better with age, but Brady is developing and making similar connections with other weapons in the Bucs offensive arsenal.
"Absolutely. The more we do it, the better we're going to be," explained Brady. "You've just got to keep after it every day, you've got to keep putting the work in. Come out to the practice field with a good attitude and try to get better, try to improve. Try to get better from where we were at the start of the year to where we're at now."
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski talk during pregame warm-ups prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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"That’s why you practice," said Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. "That’s why you do all of this stuff in the summer to have the nonverbal communication, the verbal communication, the little looks at each other. Those things come with repetition, and they have that. They have that and it showcases itself on game day."
As close of a relationship that Brady and Gronk have developed. It didn’t initially start out that way.
"Yeah, he was a meanie," laughed Gronk. "A meanie-pants. It was basically to get me on the same page. I think he saw that potential that I had."
"It was intentional," said Brady with a smile. "I had to try to toughen him up a little bit. I've got to see what I'm working with, you know? Kids have it so easy these days. We've got to try to challenge them a little bit."
Tough love that has led to Hall of Fame careers.
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