Noel Cabrera
Staff Writer
Rob Gronkowski, retired three-time Super Bowl Champion and former New England Patriots tight end, had people raising eyebrows over the past week after he said he had a “big announcement” to reveal in these upcoming weeks.
The fun-loving Patriots legend will be front and center when the annual NFL extravaganza comes to the Hard Rock Stadium Feb 2. The 30-year-old NFL legend will be hosting his very own music festival, Gronk Beach, on Feb 1.
Plenty of people were speculating and insisting that the big announcement was his return to the playing field, especially with the Nov. 30 deadline for him to return right around the corner.
Setting the stage for a big announcement on his future in football, and while he won’t be returning to the Patriots for the playoffs, he delivered it in a way only Gronk can.
He released an Instagram video this past week that at first continues to tease Patriots fans on a comeback. It quickly pivots, and the ensuing 2 minutes one can say is as entertaining as it gets.
The video opens with Gronk minding his own business, playing with a ship in a bottle as a person whose retired would do, when right away the Gronk of football past and the Gronk of partying future appear trying to convince him of his next move. As if someone has the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other.
The two different types of Gronk continue to go back and forth with reasons to why he will be in Miami for the SB. But he’s not focused on the game. The 30-year-old partying version of Gronk—The LIT, not the LIV— wins out and announces the Gronk Beach Music Festival.
In some ways the video captured where he’s at this point in life.
Gronk will have till Nov. 30, a business day before the week 13 game, to request a reinstatement into the league since he retired this past February after the Patriots last SB win, but seems extremely unlikely for now.
“I wouldn’t say ’never coming back, Gronkowski told ESPN, “I’m 30 years old. I’m still young. I still stay fit, still watch the game whenever I can, I still enjoy it. I’m feeling good, but you know, one year off could possibly be the case. Or maybe even two, man.”
Returning back to the league this year was always going to be a long shot and Gronkowski has been playing the tease game for a little while now.
“I may not be playing the game this year, but I will be going to Miami and I’m going to be debuting my very own music festival and it’s Gronk Beach, Gronkowski said via CBS Boston. “I mean you can’t ask for any situation better than that. Bring some wildness, some fun, to bring a music festival to Miami, not just on top of Miami, at the Super Bowl. It’s just never really been done like that before.”
This three-time SB Champion, who once said he never spent a dollar of his football paycheck and instead lived off his endorsements, has capitalized on that now.
To make this event even more epic Gronk is bringing a bunch of famous friends along to help him celebrate, including Diplo, Kaskade, Rick Ross, Flo Rida, and Carnage. Other attractions besides the music: fire twirlers, hula dancers, beach games, smoothie station, bites from STK Steakhouse, a VIP area with Wynn Nightlife and six hours of open bar.
Sales pitches don’t come stronger than that, and Gronk Beach is banking on attracting all people from South Florida to the Gronkiest Gronk Bash of all time possible during SB weekend.
For more information, visit gronkbeach.com.
cabrn9@mail.broward.edu