Rob Gronkowski Says Tom Brady is in ‘Better Shape’ in Retirement Than ‘When He Was Playing’ in NFL (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady.Photo:Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty; Beatriz Velasco/Getty

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty; Beatriz Velasco/Getty

Once an athlete, always an athlete!

Tom Brady’s been relishing in retirement sincehanging up his cleatsfor asecond and final timein February 2023, a lifestyle change his former teammateRob Gronkowskihas said is for the better.

While Brady’s decision to step away from the game after 23 seasons in the NFL wasn’t easy, Gronk told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that “the way he has taken care of himself since being retired from football” has surprised him the most about the legendary QB.

“I think he’s in better shape than he was when he was playing,” Gronkowski says of Brady, while promoting his latest collaboration with Tostitos. “Every time I see him, he looks better and better. It’s just unbelievable how he pulls it off!”

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady celebrate winning Super Bowl LV in Tampa in February 2021.Mike Ehrmann/Getty

And few people know Brady better than Gronkowski, who played with the star quarterback for 11 seasons — nine with the Patriots and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and won four Super Bowls together between 2014 and 2020.

Looks aside, Gronkowski says “it’s also surprising how active [Brady] still is” despite his schedule’s change of pace in comparison to his jam-packed agenda as a traveling, professional athlete with a grueling workout schedule and football games every week.

“The guy just had a 23-year career and he’s still all over the place doing things, making people smile and throwing footballs with kids,” Gronkowski says. (The dynamic duo, in fact, just recently teamed up at Michael Rubin’s inauguralFanatics Festfor afun-filled day with fansand aMake-A-Wish give backduring the weekend).

Gronkowski was also sure to point out the numerous business ventures Brady has taken part in since retiring from professional football — and continues to do as he heads into his latest gig this NFL season, making hisbroadcasting debut on Fox Sportsas its lead NFL game analyst.

“If anyone can pull it off, it’s definitely him,” Gronkowski says of Brady. “He’s a great public speaker as well. That’s very surprising. He’s taken the public speaking game to a whole new level every time I see him.”

That’s in part why Gronkowski thinks Brady will succeed in the booth, in addition to his knowledge and understanding of the game having played it — and mastered it — for so many years. “He was the greatest player of all time to play the game of football,” he says.

“I would say that contributes because he knows the game of football better than anyone else. He knows his offensive players, he knows their skill sets, he knows when to get the ball in his teammates' hands,” Gronkowski continues of Brady.

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady smile after Super Bowl LV in Tampa in February 2021.Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty

“He knows how to read a defense, when they’re blitzing, when they’re backing off in the coverage, who’s coming off the edge. He knows just every little thing about the game of football and that’s what made him so good — so if he just projects what he knows, he is going to do just as good in the booth that he did on the football field.”

Gronkowski’s no stranger to the booth himself, having been a pre-game analyst on Fox Sports since he retired from the League in 2019. However, the star tight end says Brady “does not need to come to me for advice” ahead of his on-air debut.

“He’s the one who taught me the game of football. He’s the one who helped make me the player that I am today, so I really don’t need to give him any advice,” Gronkowski tells PEOPLE of his teammate-turned-friend. “If he just acts like it’s a team meeting with his players, the fans out there will totally understand what he’s saying about the game of football — and they’ll love it.”

Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman in Tostitos Frito-Lay commercial.Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay North America

In addition to their broadcasting duties on Fox Sports, the duo teamed up for another on-air gig in partnership with Tostitos. Gronkowski and Brady, along with their former teammate Julian Edelman, will star across six commercials for the brand that will air throughout the NFL season.

“You can’t have football without Tostitos,” Gronkowski tells PEOPLE. “The experience of having Tostitos chips and dips in a bowl brings the football experience with your friends and buddies to a whole new level.”

The first commercial will air during the Week 1 matchup between the New England Patriots (the all-star trio’s former team) and the Cincinnati Bengals. “It took us a couple minutes to be able to maintain a straight face,” the NFL star says of filming with his former teammates.

“It was a no-brainer to do once I knew Tom was involved and Julian was involved because I worked with those guys for so long,” Gronkowski continues. “They were the best teammates ever — so whenever I have a chance to work with them, I always take it.”

source: people.com