World Record Catch: Rob Gronkowski catches football tossed from helicopter, 600 feet above the Earth
NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski rose to fame during his nine seasons with the New England Patriots playing alongside QB Tom Brady. Among his many accomplishments on the gridiron, he’s a four-time Super Bowl champ, was selected for the Pro Bowl five times, and was also chosen for the First Team All Pros four times. But on Friday, April 23, “Gronk” put another feather in his helmet – that of a Guinness World Record holder.
Now playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gronk was visiting his alma mater at the University of Arizona and got into the record books by catching a pass tossed from 600 feet above the Earth – from a hovering chopper.
Gronkowski dropped the first two attempts before reeling in the third to set the world record. The previous world record was 563 feet, set by YouTuber Tyler Toney in 2017.
Watch the video.
In late March, the Buccaneers re-signed Gronk for at least another season.
Gronkowski will earn a base salary of $8 million in 2021 with incentives that can increase his earnings to $10 million, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic. His base salary is reduced by $1 million, but he can earn more money in total. ~ Sports Illustrated
Gronk started all 16 regular season games for the Buccaneers in 2020, hauling in 45 receptions for 623 yards (13.8 avg.) and seven touchdowns in his first season with Tampa Bay. Among all NFL tight ends in 2020, Gronkowski ranked tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns and 10th in receiving yards.
Over the team’s four-game playoff run, Gronkowski recorded eight receptions for 110 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Both of his touchdowns came in Tampa Bay’s 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Heading into his 11th NFL season,
Gronkowski stands as the NFL’s all-time leader among tight ends in playoff receptions (89), receiving yards (1,273) and receiving touchdowns (14). Among all players, he ranks fifth in playoff receiving yards, second in playoff receiving touchdowns, second in Super Bowl receiving touchdowns (five) and tied for second in Super Bowl receiving yards (364).
Over his 131 regular season games, including 116 starts, Gronkowski has hauled in 566 receptions for 8,484 yards and 86 touchdowns. His receiving touchdown total ranks as the third-highest by a tight end in NFL history, trailing only Antonio Gates (116) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (111) and his receiving yards total ranks as the sixth-best by a tight end in league records. Throughout his career, Gronkowski has amassed 64.8 receiving yards per game, which are the second-most in NFL history behind only Travis Kelce (71.0).
Gronkowski has 29 career 100-yard receiving performances, which rank second all-time by a tight end, behind only Gonzalez (31). His 33 career 100-yard receiving performances, including the postseason, are the most in NFL history. He is one of just four tight ends to ever record at least four 1,000-yard receiving seasons along with Gonzalez, Kelce and Jason Witten.
Since entering the league in 2010, Gronkowski leads all players with his 86 receiving touchdowns and leads all tight ends with his 8,484 receiving yards. He has hauled in 145 receptions of 20-or-more yards since 2010 – 33 more than any other tight end in that span. He also ranks second among tight ends in yards after the catch since entering the league with 3,326.
Born in Amherst, New York, Gronkowski completed his scholastic career at Woodland Hills (Pa.) High School and played collegiately at Arizona prior to being drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft.
(Source: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
