Rob Gronkowski knows the New England Patriots have the right foundation in place.

The Patriots great witnessed his former team come within a game of becoming Super Bowl champions for the first time since 2018, when he last starred for the franchise.

Advertisement

New England had one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, going from a 4-13 team in 2024 to a 14-3 squad that advanced to Super Bowl LX. However, the Patriots ultimately came up just a little short, losing 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks.

“I loved how they built that program,” said Gronkowski in a one-on-one interview. “You got the head coach, you got the ownership, the foundation is there. They’re just a couple guys away from being Super Bowl champions or being competitive for another Super Bowl year in and year out. Their defense is always going to be solid, especially with Coach Vrabel leading the way, he just has the ins and outs, he knows the game so well. He knows the players he needs on the defensive side of the ball.”

The Patriots coasted to the Super Bowl in many ways, facing little adversity before Super Bowl LX. They had the easiest regular season schedule in the NFL, but managed to defeat three top five defensive units in the AFC playoffs in the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos.

Second-year quarterback Drake Maye finished second in MVP voting, leading the NFL in passer rating and completion percentage. His 99.8 QB rating was the highest value in that stat’s history.

Advertisement

Gronkowki mentioned how they could upgrade by acquiring a star via trade – Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown is a possibility – or they need someone else to step up to help out Maye. It’s worth noting that the Patriots released their lead receiver, Stefon Diggs, in the offseason. Diggs posted over 1,000 receiving yards last season.

“He (Vrabel) knows how to coach them up to become a star out there out on the field for your team, or they can go get someone in a trade as well,” said Gronkowski. “They didn’t really make too many splashes in the free agency. They got Romeo Doubs at the wide receiver position, which I think is a great play. But they need Drake Maye just to go out there and be dominant on every single drive.”

The Patriots have the No. 31 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and most mock drafts expect them to go with an offensive lineman or receiver. The pass blocking of the offensive line wasn’t exactly a strong trait, with New England ranking in the top 10 of most sacks allowed last season.

Gronkowski acknowledges drafting an offensive lineman in the first round might be the right route to go considering protecting Maye is of the utmost importance.

Advertisement

“Definitely go out and get another offensive lineman or two just to protect Drake Maye, because that’s where it all starts,” said Gronkowski. “If you got a dominant offensive line that can run block and also pass block, then you know you’re going to move that ball down the field and you’re going to have Drake Maye, your star quarterback, comfortable in the pocket at all times. That’s what you want as a football team, absolutely.”

Rob Gronkowski Teams Up With Ex-Patriots Teammate Julian Edelman To Unveil INFINITI QX65

The four-time Super Bowl champion is obviously keeping busy these days as a FOX analyst and having recently participated alongside his former teammate Tom Brady in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.

Before he begins yet another year with FOX NFL Sunday, Gronk is teaming up with INFINITI as they unveil their all-new 2027 INFINITI QX65. Gronkowski – alongside former Patriots teammate Julian Edelman – had a live conversation with INFINITI executives at Grand Central Terminal in New York City to showcase the new fastback SUV.

Advertisement

“It’s my first time, actually at the Grand Central train station here, which is really cool,” said Gronkowski. “Julian and I we revealed the INFINITI QX65. It’s kind of like being part of the Super Bowl of the car business, which is really cool and unique. It’s awesome that we can do events like this and be a part of it. What I love about INFINITI is that they just have the unstoppable mindset. Myself, Julian, we’ve always been about showing up in big moments and putting in the work behind the scenes. That’s what stood out with me with INFINITI and they’re really being intentional about how they move forward and what they’re building next.”

Gronkowki said a big appeal of the cars is the details of the car which includes a fastback roofline, twisted wheel spokes and aircraft-inspired taillights.

“That’s how you become great, and that’s how you stay great as well,” Gronkowski continued to say. “You’re intentional with the details. How can you move forward? How can you always stay up with the competition? And that’s what INFINITI is doing. What else I love about the QX 65 is that it’s spacious, it’s quick, it’s smooth, and it’s luxurious. It just fits the modern family out there. That’s what I’m all about, baby. It’s the tight end of cars. It really is, you gotta be a good size. You got to be bigger than a car, but you gotta be fast, you gotta be smooth. That’s what it is, it’s the tight end of cars.”