Gronk Couldn’t Let Down the Fans, Had to Party

He heeded the call.

Rob Gronkowski couldn’t not party.

He’d expected to keep things low-key at the rolling rally today, he says, but once he caught a glimpse of the fans on Boylston Street, he knew what he had to do.

“To tell you the truth, I wasn’t even planning on partying,” he says, explaining his moment of clarity to reporters today. “But the fans were asking for it, and I’m giving the fans what they wanted to get. So I partied for the fans. That’s how we do it. That’s how we roll.”

He later tweeted a photo of himself with brothers Glenn and Gordie. He was, despite this being February, shirtless. For the fans.

“The fans called for it at the parade to rage!” he wrote. “So guess what I had to do! Give the best fans ever what they wanted!!”

All morning, appeared just the way we remember him, in all his beer-spiking, crowd-pleasing glory. He dutifully caught, chugged, and spiked can after can thrown his way—popping them open with his teeth.

He also danced like a madman, did an unspeakable thing to a Gronk doll, and saluted his fans one more time at City Hall, with a lot more charisma than his coach.

“This team worked so hard to be right here where they’re at,” he told the crowd. “I love these guys so much, and I know I wasn’t part of playing the game, but I love being part of this team, and this is just so amazing, and you guys are the best fans ever! Woo!!”

We missed you, buddy. Welcome back.