Rob Gronkowski will host WrestleMania this weekend but who is he?
No pressure, Rob Gronkowski, but you may just have the hopes of the sport-deprived world pinned on your shoulders this weekend.
WrestleMania 36 is one of the only major live events in the world still taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Gronk will be front and centre of it all as the host of the pre-recorded show – but who is he?
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Check out our full guide to the flamboyant former NFL star Gronkowski...
Gronkowski is a former American Football superstar having enjoyed a glittering eight-year NFL career with the all-conquering New England Patriots.
The 30-year-old made a shock decision to retire from the game in 2018 but is yet to fully close the door on a return to the league.
Gronk – who struck up a deadly partnership with Tom Brady – was always lauded for his bouncy personality and garnered a reputation for 'spiking' footballs (throwing them hard into the ground) to celebrate a touchdown in a move inevitably replicated in playgrounds across the US as the 'Gronk Spike'.
He won three Super Bowl titles throughout his career and is very much in contention for a Hall of Fame spot in the future
Since his retirement, Gronk has made numerous media appearances including holding an analyst role for FOX Sports in the US, while he most recently appeared as the White Tiger character on The Masked Singer.
The former tight end is a lifelong WWE fan who made a cameo appearance during the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida.
His involvement in the ring was minimal, but it led to major speculation over his future with the company.
Gronk penned a deal with WWE but it remains to be seen what that exactly entails. The former Patriots star made a lively debut on SmackDown last week as he rattled off a hype intro in front of an empty arena, and will now host WrestleMania 36.
It remains to be seen how much action Gronkowski will see this weekend, but it would be no surprise if he leaped into the ring for an all-acti0n debut display.
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
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