“Hammered” Rob Gronkowski fell asleep during a preliminary interview with Bill Belichick and was reprimanded by the Patriots just five minutes after joining Tom Brady’s team.

Rob Gronkowski got off on the wrong foot with the New England Patriots.

The larger-than-life, Hall of Fame-worthy tight end spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowls and recording 521 catches for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns.

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But it hasn’t always been easy for Gronk and the Pats.

He had a nightmarish preseason interview with head coach Bill Belichick during which he fell asleep after being hungover from a wild hangover the night before.

The retired superstar shared his version of events on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast.

“It was one of my mistakes,” Gronkowski said.

“I was partying at the University of Arizona one night and I was totally stoned. I had to get on a plane the next day and I started this little tour. So I already got put in the bag. So I’m leaving for this tour I’m falling, I’m not sleeping, I’m already hungover, I’m visiting all these teams and then I got to New England and I’m (gassed). ).”

“So I had the craziest visit, man, I was saying my comments to their questions, I let it fly,” he continued.

“And then they went through the playbook. They drew up a play. It was Billy O’Brien, the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. He drew up a play. He came back and I didn’t know a single thing .My mind was off. And I was like I said something like “It doesn’t matter, throw me the ball.”

“Just like that. And they were just blown away.

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“They were like, ‘This guy is out of control.’ Then I go upstairs, I go straight out, straight to the floor. I’m so tired and pass out on the floor waiting for the next coach to talk to. He fainted. So my visit was probably the worst visit ever.

“I mean, there were a lot more details to appreciate how outrageous it was, but we just need to get a glimpse of it,” he added.

“And I came out. And I was like, either this team is going to draft me or this team is going to take me off the roster right now. And so I said it’s either or. And then look what’s going on. ‘happened.”

Belichick also shared his side of the story and admitted that Gronk didn’t make a very good impression.

“Rob was kind of a shooter in the dark,” Belichick recalled.

“He came on his preliminary visit, had a bad visit. We put him in a room, came back and he was sleeping on the floor. It didn’t make a very good impression. …I brought him in, we’re getting ready to meet the coaches…he fell asleep on the floor.

“We just bet he would make it, and he certainly had a good time,” he added.

Belichick and New England clearly saw something in Gronk and knew they could turn him into an all-time player.

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They selected him in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft, but they were quick to scold him.

In fact, it took Gronk five minutes to get in trouble with his new team.

“When I got drafted by the Patriots, it was a proud moment,” Gronkowski said in the documentary series “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” on AppleTV+.

“My family also came on stage. We got into a group. We were (applause) in the group, jumping up and down.

“And then all of a sudden I got a phone call from the Patriots, and they were like, ‘Hey Rob, you can come down now, like that’s enough.’

“And I’m sitting there and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m already in trouble.’ I’ve been away from the Patriots for five minutes and I’m already in trouble.

Everything worked out and Gronk left an indelible mark on the Patriots and the NFL as a whole.

The 34-year-old has four All-Pro selections, five Pro Bowls and the 2014 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award on his resume.

He also holds the NFL records for most receiving touchdowns in a season by a tight end (18) and most receiving touchdowns in a season by a tight end (17).

Gronk also caught 12 touchdowns in 16 playoff games for New England.

His partnership with quarterback Tom Brady is legendary and in 2020 he joined TB12 in Tampa Bay where they would win another world title together in 2021.

He retired in 2022 and now works as a studio analyst for Fox Sports while throwing crazy first pitches in MLB games.