No one knew what to expect when Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman traded helmets for handheld mics, launching Dudes on Dudes on Instagram. After spending nine seasons together in New England as teammates, they’re now spending their post-retirement days as co-hosts where football talk meets locker-room raw and unfiltered honesty. In one recent episode, Gronk breaks down a game where their former coach, Bill Belichick, didn’t win with talent — he won by making every right call when it mattered most.
The duo revisited the infamous Mac Jones three-pass game on their podcast, Dudes and Dudes. Gronk didn’t hold back as he recalled: “Absolutely crazy winds in Buffalo. I am talking about like — how dare you throw the ball? And the Bills, they threw it a couple times and they completed a couple passes. But New England threw the ball just three times, and they ran 46 times for over 220 yards, ended up winning that game 14-10. And you just saw that Coach Belichick smile after the game — like, ‘Yeah, I just outsmarted you with all my coaching decisions.” What stuck with Gronk wasn’t just the result — it was the way Belichick approached the game, leaning entirely on strategy and control.
The game in focus took place on December 6, 2021, a Monday Night Football clash between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. At the center of it was Mac Jones, then a rookie quarterback drafted 15th overall by the Patriots in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had a solid rookie season overall, throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, helping the Patriots reach the playoffs in 2021. However, his numbers declined over the next two years — he threw for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 2022, and just 2,120 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2023. In March 2024, the Patriots traded Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, marking the end of his New England chapter.
Amid all the changes on the field, one figure remained a constant on the sidelines—Bill Belichick, the mastermind behind the Patriots’ long-running dominance. He joined the franchise in 2000 and built one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history. In 2024, he stepped away from the NFL to become head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team. Under his leadership, the Patriots have won six Super Bowl titles and dominated the AFC East for two decades. Since Mac Jones took over as quarterback in 2021, the Patriots have faced the Bills five times between 2021 -2023, but have won only one of those iconic windy-night games. Every other matchup went to Buffalo, which made that single win all the more impressive.
But long before that stretch with Mac Jones, Belichick had already cemented his dominance over Buffalo, especially during the years when Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman were central to his offense. The two played in 15 games against the Bills from 2010 to 2018, winning 14 of them. Both players were key parts of Belichick’s system during a stretch where Buffalo rarely had an answer. While Edelman and Gronk shared years together as teammates, there’s another bond in Gronk’s life that’s just as strong — even without the shared locker room. His friendship with Tom Brady has long outlived their days on the field, and recently, the two delivered a moment as unforgettable as any game-winning touchdown.
Rob Gronkowski steals the spotlight again
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were back in the spotlight at Fanatics Fest 2025, held at the Javits Center in New York City. The three-day event was packed with sports legends and players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Cooper DeJean, along with Hollywood celebrities such as Travis Scott. It also featured special appearances by John Cena and Paul Rivera. But the real highlight came when the former Patriots and Buccaneers teammates tried to recreate their iconic 2020 Super Bowl boat parade moment — this time with a replica Lombardi Trophy and a fired-up crowd watching every move.
Brady looked out into the crowd and launched the trophy to someone in a No. 87 Gronkowski jersey with confidence. Just as the trophy was in midair, the real Rob Gronkowski emerged from the crowd, stepping forward at the perfect moment to make the catch. He managed to grab the top half cleanly, but the moment didn’t go exactly as planned — the base of the trophy snapped off on impact and crashed to the floor, drawing gasps and laughter from the audience.
“You broke it,” Brady said, reacting to the slip. “You are washed up. I’m going home.” The clip quickly spread across social media and became one of the most viral moments from the event, combining nostalgia, timing, and a bit of unscripted chaos that defined their dynamic. From breaking down iconic games to breaking trophies with old friends, Rob Gronkowski keeps finding new ways to stay part of the NFL’s most unforgettable moments.
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