Not Just Another Gronk: Rob’s Little Bro Glenn on a Different Path to the NFL

Somewhere at sea in February, Rob Gronkowski was gyrating, bopping and grooving. The bass was turned up so high, the dolphins must have felt it. 

The man known as Gronk was shirtless, wearing shades, a Zubaz bandana and a ball cap that read “HYPE.” He was doing cartwheels and passing around a beer bong and signing autographs on body parts that are usually kept covered. The Norwegian Pearl had transformed into Gronk’s Party Ship, offering passengers the opportunity to get GRONK’D! And who among us does not appreciate an opportunity to get GRONK’D!?

Missing from the 2,500 revelers was Glenn Gronkowski.

As the party ship swayed, Rob’s little brother, who’s been commonly called “Baby Gronk” as the youngest of the five Gronkowski brothers, was preparing to do other things associated with the family name: namely, working out to prepare for an NFL career (older brother Chris also made the league as a fullback and older brother Dan made it as a tight end) and studying to prepare for a role in the family fitness equipment sales business.

To say the latest Gronk to hit the NFL is not just a smaller version of the NFL’s top tight end is an understatement. “Opposites” is what their dad, Gordy Gronkowski, calls them.

Rob has been known to dance on the bar. Glenn, whom the family calls “Goose” for reasons no one can remember, spent his college years working behind the bar.

“Goose is sort of quiet, not like Rob, who is out there in front of everybody,” Gordy said. “He’s more laid-back. He was the easiest of the boys. He does the right things all the time. Never gave me any trouble. Never did anything bad. Never got called in to school on him. Rob was that guy who stirred things up.”

Quiet? Laid-back? Easy?

“He is a more conservative type of kid, more laid-back,” Rob said. “He goes with the flow. He’s very humble. He will never brag.”

Some of Goose’s college teammates called him “Gronk,” but that’s not him. He’s not the Baby Gronk, either. He’s almost the anti-Gronk.

What was Goose studying as his brother partied?

He wasn’t cramming for finals, if that’s what you’re thinking. The 23-year-old Gronkowski had already graduated from Kansas State and was preparing to earn his insurance license. In fact, he graduated cum laude with two majors—marketing and business, with a minor in leadership. He had a 3.8 grade point average. He had another year of athletic eligibility remaining, but the NFL was waiting.

Goose didn’t leave himself a lot of time for partying during his college days.

“It wasn’t easy balancing football and having a job,” he said. “But it was worth it for a few extra dollars.”

During the football season, his day typically began with a 5:30 a.m. wakeup call (anyone seen Rob at that time?) followed by a lifting session at 6 a.m., class at 8 a.m., football meetings at 2:30 p.m., practice at 4 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and homework at 8 p.m.

Dana Dimel knows his Gronkowskis. He coached Rob and Chris at Arizona as tight ends/running backs coach, and he coached Goose at Kansas State as co-offensive coordinator and running backs/tight ends coach. From the standpoint of a coach-player relationship, Dimel said Goose is a lot like Chris, but not much like Rob.

“Glenn takes everything very literal in the coaching sense,” Dimel said. “Rob is more freelance, let’s have fun. Rob wants to fly by the seat of his pants. He takes pride in studying the game, but he’ll be the first one to tell you he can only go about 45 minutes at a time then he has to break. You can’t keep his attention for longer than that. Glenn and Chris can sit there and study all night long. Glenn is very technical and detail-oriented.”

Athletically, Rob and Goose provide an interesting contrast. Rob clearly is the more gifted football player. But—surprise—Goose is the better athlete, according to those who know them best. In fact, Gordy Gronkowski testifies that Goose is the most athletic of all his boys. (The eldest Gronkowski boy, Gordie Jr., was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels.)

“Goose wasn’t as good as Rob in one sport, but he was always at the top of the group in …

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