{"id":948530,"date":"2026-07-18T03:27:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T03:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/948530\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T03:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T03:27:18","slug":"tom-brady-dunks-rob-gronkowski-in-raising-canes-sauce-at-fanatics-fest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/948530\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom Brady dunks Rob Gronkowski in Raising Cane’s sauce at Fanatics Fest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tom Brady, LeBron, Jeter UNITE at Fanatics Fest<\/a> <\/p>\n

FOX Business’ Madison Alworth reports live from Fanatics Fest in New York City, detailing the immense gathering of sports fans and athletes. CEO Lance Fensterman reveals that mega-stars such as Serena Williams and David Beckham are attending. The festival anticipates 200,000 attendees over its four-day run, showcasing its significant growth since 2022.<\/p>\n

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n

Fanatics Fest<\/a> is a viral moment waiting to happen considering the plethora of superstars under one Manhattan roof, and perhaps the first one came on Thursday\u2019s opening day at the Javits Center in the Raising Cane\u2019s activation.<\/p>\n

It was a legendary combination of Tom Brady<\/a>, Rob Gronkowski and 500 gallons of Raising Cane\u2019s famous sauce filled in a dunk tank. Brady, whose accuracy with a football is still unmatched, didn\u2019t miss his target.<\/p>\n

Gronkowski went splashing into the sauce, as Brady and Raising Cane\u2019s owner Todd Graves joined the masses in celebrating one of the coolest moments to kick off Fanatics Fest.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Todd <\/p>\n

Todd Graves, Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady attend Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center in New York City on July 16, 2026. (Dave Kotinsky\/Getty Images for Fanatics)<\/p>\n

Before Brady\u2019s toss pulled the seat out from under his favorite tight end when they were both in the NFL<\/a>, Fox News Digital caught up with Graves to find out how a dunk tank filled with his brand\u2019s famous sauce came to be.<\/p>\n

“I never thought of a Cane\u2019s Sauce dunk tank, but partnering with Fanatics and Fanatics Fest, which is great,” Graves explained. “They\u2019re amazing partners. One, Michael Rubin and I have been friends, and talk about business, help each other out in many different ways. A rising tide lifts all boats. Before we started partnering with Fanatics, I loved what he was doing, I loved the fanfare, I loved having sports and entertainment figure heads \u2013 everybody from Tom Brady to Kevin Hart , right? All that together, I was like, \u2018Man, let\u2019s partner. Let\u2019s do this deal.\u2019<\/p>\n

TOM BRADY DRAWS INSPIRATION AFTER MEETING WITH MAKE-A-WISH TEAN HEART TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT AT FANATICS FEST<\/a><\/p>\n

“With Fanatics Fest, partnering with them wasn\u2019t just like, \u2018Here, come, do whatever you think of.\u2019 No, it was, \u2018Let\u2019s put our minds together and do what we can.\u2019 So, they came up with the idea. Actually [CEO of OBB Media] Michael Ratner was like, \u2018Let\u2019s do a Cane\u2019s Sauce dunk tank.\u2019 I was like, \u2018Yes!\u2019 And he was like, \u2018Let\u2019s do Brady dunking Gronk.\u2019 Oh my God, I couldn\u2019t think of two better people doing it.”<\/p>\n

Graves believed the moment was going to be “legendary” and “going to be something in Cane\u2019s lore” forever. And when the brand opened its first doors in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Aug. 28, 1996, Graves wasn\u2019t thinking 30 years down the road two of the most recognizable athletes in the country would be making this happen.<\/p>\n

“The crews are already so excited about it. The fans will love it. What better guy like Gronk, and to have Brady hit the target. It\u2019s ideal,” Graves added.<\/p>\n

\"Tom <\/p>\n

Tom Brady throws football during Raising Cane’s dunk tank event, where Rob Gronkowski fell into 500 gallons of Cane’s Sauce. (Raising Cane’s)<\/p>\n

Brady and Gronkowski got the crowd going with a little chicken Hail Mary moment, with the quarterback tossing some Cane\u2019s chicken fingers into a cup of sauce the tight end was holding. But then, the moment of truth.<\/p>\n

In classic Gronkowski fashion, he was chirping Brady from his seat, but the FOX Sports NFL colleagues knew what the end result was going to be with that. Brady toyed with Gronkowski at first, hitting a Cane\u2019s logo just above the target on purpose, and did so again with a different one.<\/p>\n

Then, on his third throw, Brady struck true, and all of the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Gronkowski caused a Cane\u2019s Sauce explosion when he fell in. There was a splash zone if you were close enough, and it was a moment fans, media and everyone else who witnessed it couldn\u2019t stop talking about.<\/p>\n

As Gronkowski wiped the sauce from his eyes, and Brady calmed down from all the laughter he caused, Graves was right there to thank them both for the epic moment he\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n

\"Todd <\/p>\n

Todd Graves, Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady attend the Cane’s Sauce Dunk Tank Showdown hosted by Graves at Fanatics Fest at the Javits Center in New York City on July 16, 2026. (Phillip Faraone\/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s)<\/p>\n

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“Through growth, I have 100,000 crew members now, and we have 1,000 locations and we\u2019re about to turn 30. For me to walk in here and see our logos up here and see people that want to come and be a part of Cane\u2019s, it\u2019s a dream come true. To do a dunk tank, and Tom Brady and Gronk want to do that, I built a brand that\u2019s special to my crew and customers. So, an absolute dream. I always have to pinch myself and part of my job is doing things like this, which is great,” Graves said.<\/p>\n

“We love what we do. I love my company, I love my crew and customers. This is just something I think we can do some fun for them, because I know how much I\u2019m going to enjoy it.”<\/p>\n

Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s sports coverage on X<\/a> and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n