What’s the story?
WWE has a long and storied history with celebrities; look no further than Mike Tyson’s involvement with the DX and Stone Cold Steve Austin storyline or at Shaquille O’Neal’s match with the imminently retiring Big Show.
The latest celebrity rumoured to be involved in a WWE event, is Super-Bowl winner Rob Gronkowski, one of the countries most well-known NFL players, and a known wrestling fan.
In case you didn’t know...
Rob Gronkowski is the tight end for four-time Superbowl Champions New England Patriots. An avid wrestling fan, Gronk has often been spotted at Wrestling events due to his close personal friendship with current SmackDown superstar Mojo Rawley. When asked about life after NFL by Draft Kings, Gronkowski replied:
‘I can definitely see something in the future. Hopefully, Mojo Rawley starts wrestling a lot and starts doing what he has to do and makes it to Monday Night Raw, if my boy is there, I’m there for an appearance.’
He then stated, later on in the interview that if he were to venture into a WWE ring post-NFL, it would be on a part-time basis.
Of course, Wrestlemania has a long list of celebrities affiliated with the product. From Mr T participating in a tag team match with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania I, to Joan Rivers as a guest ring announcer at Wrestlemania II, to Pamela Anderson and Jenny McCarthy appearing as valets to both Diesel and Shawn Michaels during their bout at Wrestlemania XI.
With this is mind, it would not be hard to find a place for ‘The Gronk’ on the Wrestlemania card.
The heart of the matter...
During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Gronkowski was asked if there was any truth to a flurry of rumours that he would make an appearance in any capacity at the oncoming Wrestlemania XXXIII event in Orlando, Florida. The NFL tight end replied;
‘That’s the first time I’ve heard that. That would be pretty cool, so I don’t know.’
What’s next?
The only thing that WWE and NFL fans can do now, is wait. In December, Gronkowski suffered a serious injury, herniating a disk in his back which has kept him out (as of this writing), throwing this angle into jeopardy straight away.
Coupled with this, it will depend on how the WWE would intend on using Gronk. If it is a competitor capacity, then WWE will have to ensure the correct opponent is available. If it is in a refereeing capacity, the right match will have to have been sanctioned, so as not to ruin it by oversaturating it.
Sportskeeda’s take...
Gronkowski is 6 foot 6 inches and is currently billed as 265 pounds. At 27 years old, he is arguably in the prime of his life. There is absolutely no doubt that he would hold his own, whether he would be a referee or a competitor in the same vein as Shaquille O’Neal.
The problem that will plague this rumour is the injury ‘Gronk’ suffered. Whether he will recover in time for ‘Mania is a huge gamble, and whether the Patriots want to risk their star tight end so close to his projected return date, is incredibly doubtful.
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