Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Rob

Tom Brady’s former teammate, Rob Gronkowski, discusses how Patrick Mahomes can dethrone Brady as NFL’s GOAT

Patrick Mahomes is on the fast track of surpassing Tom Brady as the NFL’s greatest ever.

With a win in this year’s Super Bowl, Mahomes would become the first player to win four rings before turning 30.

And if you compare the quarterbacks’ first seven full seasons, Mahomes’ numbers trump Brady’s.

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) and quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrate after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter of the 2018 Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Eagles won 41-33. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)

Brady won more than half of his rings after turning 37, cementing himself in the conversation. But the chatter will be hot and heavy if the Kansas City Chiefs can finish a three-peat, something no team has done in the Super Bowl era.

Rob Gronkowski had a front-row seat for Brady’s illustrious career, winning four titles with him, three in New England, and one more in Tampa Bay.

“Good thing I went back to football and did that,” Gronkowski recalled in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

But even Gronk knows his quarterback might be in trouble. However, it will be tough, and there’s a reason why Brady has the upper hand for the time being.

“In order for Patrick Mahomes to dethrone (Brady), it’s gonna be tough because Tom beat him twice in playoff football. We absolutely demolished Patrick Mahomes,” Gronkowski said, referring to the 2021 Super Bowl.

Advantage, Brady.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) after the Super Bowl Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. Tampa Bay won 31-9. (AP Photo/Charlie )

But that doesn’t mean there’s no chance for Mahomes. Gronk said Mahomes doesn’t even need to match Brady in titles before being in the conversation.

“He’s gonna have to win about five, six championships in order to get in that conversation of being the greatest ahead of Tom Brady,” Gronk said.

ROB GRONKOWSKI TAKES NFL OFFICIALS TO TASK OVER ALLEGED CHIEFS FAVORITISM

Those sentiments echo those of Victor Cruz, who already has Mahomes as the “No. 2” to Brady.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after a touchdown run by running back Kareem Hunt during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif.,Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

“To me, I can’t put him above [Tom] Brady just yet, but he’s right there. He’s 1A, 1B for me,” Cruz told Fox News Digital in October.

“If he gets to five and he continues to keep his team relevant year in and year out, when we look up at the numbers, it’s gonna be insane just to see where he nets out and just to see when it’s all said and done where he is, because what he’s doing thus far, it’s pretty special.”

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

First, the Chiefs will have to get through the Philadelphia Eagles, who the Chiefs beat two years ago in the Super Bowl to get Mahomes his second title. He earned his third last year against the San Francisco 49ers, the same team Mahomes beat for his first ring.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

February 1, 2025
Rob Gronkowski takes NFL officials to task over alleged Chiefs favoritism

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

Surely, referees in the National Football League don’t actually favor the Kansas City Chiefs, do they?

Well, Rob Gronkowski has the mind of the NFL fan and thinks that something is up.

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

The Chiefs are in their third consecutive Super Bowl, and it’s fair to say they got some benefit from the officiating in the AFC title game against the Buffalo Bills.

Rob Gronkowski (Jim Rogash/Getty Images/File)

A pivotal 4th-and-1 rush by Bills quarterback Josh Allen was ruled short (it could be argued the Bills crossed the marker on third down). The Chiefs responded by scoring a touchdown on the next drive. And while the Bills did tie it up, the field was clearly tilted afterward.

This version of the Chiefs is being talked about like Gronk’s New England Patriots used to be talked about: favoritism from the refs but still difficult to beat. Gronk joked in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that even his quarterback Tom Brady got the favor of the whistle.

“It was Tom, but he deserved it at the time. He was an 18-year vet, and he took his punishment as a young buck during his first eight years in the league. Oh my lord, he used to get lit up. It was understandable he got calls,” Gronk said.

And perhaps the Chiefs have gotten that same benefit, Gronkowski added, saying the refs are “definitely … more lenient” toward the Chiefs.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

“It’s been shown throughout the regular season and extending into the playoffs,” Gronk quipped.

He later added, “I just feel like there’s something, like, maybe give them an extra call or two. Don’t make it too obvious, but make it a little obvious.”

Referee Carl Cheffers speaks to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during a break in the third quarter against the Houston Texans on Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION HOPES FANS APPRECIATE CHIEFS’ GREATNESS, NOT HATE ON IT

Gronkowski will get to see firsthand how much the refs actually favor the Chiefs, if at all, as he’ll be in New Orleans on behalf of Bounty to clean up the mess that comes with dirty eating during Super Bowl Sunday.

“You can’t have football without wings, there’s no doubt about that. But you can’t have wings without Bounty,” Gronk said ahead of his trip to Bourbon Street, where there will be food aplenty.

His wingman, Saints legend Drew Brees, will try to show him the best wings in town, but he doesn’t think anything will beat his hometown Buffalo wings, similar to the Chiefs.

Gronkowski added that even though the Chiefs may have some help from the zebras, it’s “no excuse” for the Bills or anyone to fall short when they have their chances.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes talks to referee Clete Blakeman prior to the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

“You have opportunities to beat them, you got to overcome all situations, and the Buffalo Bills need to make championship plays in championship moments, and they didn’t come through. You got to make plays in order to beat the Chiefs, and you can’t blame it on the refs,” Gronk continued.

“It doesn’t matter, you still got to beat the Chiefs, and you still got to come through with big plays at the end of the game in order to beat them, and no team has done that yet.”

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Gronk won four Super Bowls in his career, but with a Kansas City win on Feb. 9, this era of Chiefs will have matched him.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

January 31, 2025