Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski appeared to have a telepathic understanding.
The duo is arguably the greatest quarterback-tight end pairing of all time, although Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce may have something to say about that.
Brady and Gronk won three Super Bowls with a dominant New England Patriots before taking the party to Florida and adding another with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The iconic QB was the final guest on Bryson Dechambeau‘s Break 50 series and opened up on long-term rival Peyton Manning‘s influence on his career.
“I met with Peyton Manning once,” he began.
“We were like, ‘How do we get better?’ Because we got older and we are in the same systems.
“So we met for like three days down in Tennessee in 2010. And I learned a play that he used to run a lot. And I didn’t know how to run it.
“He taught me the play, we ended up installing the play in our offense. And we got Rob Gronkowski.
“It ended up probably half of Gronk’s receiving yards were on this concept. I swear to God. Obviously Gronk’s an absolute beast.
“I’m like, ‘Thanks, Peyton.’ And Peyton’s like, ‘I can’t believe you guys took the play.’”
What was the play? Simple is usually best.
Brady would fake a handoff to draw in linebackers and Gronkowski would find a gap and wait for his good friend to find him.
It wasn’t rocket science but NFL defenses never found a way to combat it.
Gronkowski racked up 620 catches for 9,275 yards and 93 touchdowns in 141 games with Brady.
Both are destined for the Hall of Fame and are now close friends, but it was not always plain sailing.
Gronk’s first impression of the quarterback, who already had three Super Bowl rings, was that he was a “jerk” before realizing he was just trying to help him reach his potential.
“I had talent. I was big. I didn’t give a f***. I was blocking my face off. I was running routes. I was awful, but I was also really good at the same time,” he told People.
“And Tom lit a fire under my butt every single day in practice.
“He got on my case every single day. If I wasn’t where I needed to be on an out route, he’d be yelling at me, he’d be screaming at me. Right when I get back in the huddle.”
Kelce and Mahomes are bidding to join Brady and Gronk on four Super Bowl titles.
The Kansas City Chiefs are 11-1 and cruising into the playoffs as they chase a three-peat.
Back-to-back-to-back Super Bowls is a feat even the Patriots duo couldn’t manage and may seal the case for Mahomes and Kelce to be declared the best QB-TE partnership ever.
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