Breaking News: Rob Gronkowski Recalls Thinking Tom Brady Was ‘a Jerk’ After First Joining the Patriots: ‘He Got on My Case’

Speaking at Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, June 12, Gronkowski, 35, said that when he met his new quarterback after he was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2010, the tight end thought that Brady — who at that point had already won three Super Bowl titles — was a “jerk.” But, as Gronkowski explained, over time, he came to realize that Brady, 46, simply wanted to make him and his teammates better players.

“He got on my case every single day,” said Gronkowski, who played with Brady for 11 seasons — nine with the Patriots and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“He wasn’t afraid to get on your case to elevate your game to the next level,” he added of his former teammate.