The Goofy Rookie Scout Jon Robinson Called a Perfect Fit for the Patriots

A prospect unlike the others

In 2010, the Patriots were evaluating Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski. He struck observers as unusually boisterous, and his exuberant reaction after being drafted seemed at odds with New England’s buttoned-up culture.

Brian Ferentz, his position coach during his first two seasons, recalled thinking Gronkowski might not last with the team. Robinson, then the Patriots’ director of college scouting, nevertheless believed the prospect could meet Bill Belichick’s expectations on the field.

Robinson makes his case

Before the NFL Combine, Belichick asked senior scouts to present players they viewed as potential first-round picks. Robinson put forward Gronkowski, saying the team needed a tight end who could block Michael Strahan and get open against Ed Reed. Their discussion eventually strayed into what Robinson called “hot-tub talk.” Gronkowski did not come across as a typical Patriot, but Robinson continued looking for a way to persuade Belichick to consider him.

The film changes the mood

At another opportunity to show film to the scouting staff, Robinson presented Gronkowski against safety Patrick Chung. Belichick then asked personnel director Nick Caserio how many visits remained and called for Gronkowski to come in.

The next interview was no more formal. Gronkowski later said he needed a nap, and Ferentz found him resting on a table in a holding room at Gillette Stadium. Ferentz described the meeting as both horrendous and among the best interviews he had seen, saying Gronkowski was truthful.

From awkward fit to star

Gronkowski said he knew little about the Patriots’ culture or their Super Bowl expectations when he arrived, but he welcomed the high standards. He called the pairing a “match made in heaven.” By his second season, the account says, Gronkowski had become the best tight end in Patriots history and perhaps the best ever. Former teammate Julian Edelman said Gronkowski became “a f---ing Beatle.”