Context:

Rob Gronkowski, a legendary tight end for the New England Patriots, revealed he almost played for the Baltimore Ravens instead. In the 2010 NFL Draft, the Ravens originally intended to select Gronkowski with their 25th pick but traded back to the 43rd pick due to concerns about his back surgery and subsequent missed college season. The Patriots, known for their strategic draft moves, traded up to the 42nd pick, one spot ahead of the Ravens, and selected Gronkowski. This decision proved pivotal as Gronkowski became a key player in the Patriots' dynasty, earning multiple Pro Bowl selections, First Team All-Pro honors, and Super Bowl championships. The Ravens likely regretted missing out on Gronkowski, who is considered one of the greatest draft picks in Patriots history.

Dive Deeper:

• Rob Gronkowski was nearly drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2010 NFL Draft, but concerns about his back surgery led the Ravens to trade their 25th pick for the 43rd pick.

• The New England Patriots capitalized on the situation by trading up to the 42nd pick, just ahead of the Ravens, to select Gronkowski, a move typical of their successful draft strategy.

• Gronkowski's performance with the Patriots included five Pro Bowl selections and four First Team All-Pro honors, making him one of the most successful tight ends in NFL history.

• He also contributed significantly to the Patriots' success, helping them win four Super Bowl championships and solidifying his legacy as one of the franchise's best draft picks.

• The Ravens' missed opportunity to draft Gronkowski is a decision that likely haunts them, as he became a cornerstone of the Patriots' storied dynasty.

• Owen Crisafulli, a sports writer, highlights this story, emphasizing the strategic nature of New England's draft moves during their era of dominance.

• Gronkowski's revelation about nearly joining the Ravens was shared on his podcast 'Dudes on Dudes', adding an intriguing layer to his already illustrious career.

• The New England Patriots made a lot of good draft selections during their dynastic run, but one of the best of the bunch saw them select star tight end Rob Gronkowski with the No. 42 pick in the 2010 NFL draft. According to Gronkowski, though, he was very close to landing with the Baltimore Ravens instead of the Patriots.

• There were some concerns surrounding Gronkowski's back entering the draft, as he underwent surgery in 2009 while with the Arizona Wildcats in college that forced him to miss the entire season. However, the Ravens had their eyes on him with the No. 25 pick in the draft.

• Baltimore ended up trading back from the No. 25 pick, picking up the No. 43 pick in the second round. Their plan was to draft Gronkowski then, but right before they could, the Patriots swooped in and traded up for the No. 42 pick which they used on the superstar pass catcher, and the rest is history.

• "The Baltimore Ravens were gonna pick me, I think it was the 25th pick that they had in the draft, but then Denver and Josh McDaniels came scooping in and traded with the Baltimore Ravens," Gronkowski said on his "Dudes on Dudes" podcast.

• "The Ravens have the 43rd pick now. Well then, the New England Patriots got a sniff of it and they traded up one spot before the Baltimore Ravens at number 42 where I got drafted."

• This is wild: The legendary Rob Gronkowski revealed that the Ravens were going to select him in the 2010 NFL Draft:
  
  Baltimore, who initially had the 25th pick, traded back to 43 intending to draft Gronkowski, but the Patriots jumped up one spot ahead and took him at 42.
  
  The… pic.twitter.com/lN19bijgFb

• — Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 8, 2025 Considering how Gronkowski would go on to earn five Pro Bowl selections, four First Team All-Pro honors, and four Super Bowl championships, it's safe to say that this was a move the Ravens regretted being unable to make.

• This is just the type of deal New England was renowned for making during their dynasty, and it should come as no surprise that Gronkowski is widely considered to be one of the franchise's best draft selections in their storied history.