New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was a guest on ESPN's "SportsNation" program on Tuesday, where he played a flip-cup game and shared a special message for quarterback Tom Brady. Gronkowski was also a guest on ESPN's "NFL Live" program, and here were a few of the notable takeaways from his one-on-one interview with host Trey Wingo:
Motivated for more: Gronkowski touched on the difference from losing the Super Bowl in 2011 and winning it this season. Then he added, "Now it's about to turn around, the offseason, and go right back at it again. Definitely when you get one, it's such a great feeling, you just want to keep on grinding, you want to keep on going and stay motivated, keep on getting more."
Hanging with Edelman: Gronkowski, who was on camera from ESPN's Los Angeles-based studios, said he watched Monday night's NCAA men's tournament championship game with receiver Julian Edelman. "We had a blast," Gronkowski said, highlighting how his ties with teammates extend beyond the season.
Parade still stands out as top experience: Echoing what he's said at other points of the offseason, Gronkowski said his highlight was the championship parade. "I went to that parade with no expectations. It was the best experience I've ever had," he relayed. "Going through the city of Boston, with that many fans, it was just an unbelievable experience. I had my family on my boat, all my teammates, and there were so many fans flooding the streets going crazy. I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting a chill time, everyone just waving to you, celebrating a little bit, but they were going crazy. That was probably the best two hours of the offseason so far."
Why fans relate to him: Asked why he thinks fans might relate to him, Gronkowski chuckled. "I'm not sure," he said. "I just feel like I kind of live like the fans. I just want to go out there, celebrate, celebrate for your team, work hard and do whatever commitment it is to help your team get to the next level."