BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Tampa Bay tight end Rob Gronkowski has played in his fair share of Super Bowls. But the idea of playing against his hometown in the biggest game of the season would've probably topped them all.
"That would have been nuts," Gronkowski told reporters during a press conference earlier this week. "Because I'm from Buffalo I was thinking oh man, if Buffalo beats the Chiefs, I'm going to be playing my hometown."
Gronkowski played his first three years of high school football with Williamsville North before attending a school outside of the area for his senior year. He was drafted by New England in the 2010 NFL Draft but in March 2019, announced his retirement from the NFL at just 29 years old. More than a year later, he was traded to Tampa Bay and came out of retirement to reunite with former Patriots QB Tom Brady.
Before the playoffs began, Gronkowski says family and friends couldn't stop talking about the potential Super Bowl match-up.
"They were saying "Bucs-Bills, I see it now" every week," Gronkowski said of the many texts he received. "We won, they won, and I was like that would be the craziest Super Bowl for myself."
And after the Buccaneers beat the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game, Gronkowski couldn't stop paying attention to that AFC match-up between the Bills and the Chiefs.
"I was checking the score on the plane on the way home," he said. "I was checking the score and thought this was going to be incredible whoever we play."
While the Bills came up short in this year's AFC Championship Game, Gronkowski could still have a shot to play the Bills in next season's Super Bowl. He recently confirmed plans to return to the Bucs next season.
The Buccaneers will play the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
