Life is definitely good for Rob Gronkowski.
The NFL stud tight end for the New England Patriots broke records last year for his performance on the field (most touchdowns and receiving yards in a single season ever by a tight end), and is now the cover boy for ESPN the Magazine’s annual Body Issue – in the buff!
Did we mention this superstar athlete is only 23?
Of course, his Patriots teammates might have a thing or two to say about his naked magazine spread, which hits newsstands on Friday. But is the man dubbed The Gronk worried?
“The good thing is it came out a few weeks before we actually get to the locker room, so I’m hoping they’ll forget,” Rob laughed with Access Hollywood Live guest co-hosts Michelle Beadle and Holly Robinson Peete on Friday.
And while Rob won’t reunite with his teammates for the new season for a few weeks, he’s confident he won’t escape some friendly jabs from the guys.
“It will be [plastered in the locker room] and I’m sure there will be a comment board or something and everyone can put their comments up,” he added.
So just how exactly did he prepare to take it all off for the world to see (with some conspicuously placed objects blocking certain parts)? [Check out behind the scenes footage from the ESPN shoot, HERE!]
“When the shoot came, I was still in my cast after [ankle] surgery. I got out of my cast like a week before so, I hadn’t ran, I hadn’t done anything, so I was kind of worried,” the Patriots star admitted. “The only thing I could do was one-legged cardio to get trim. I did one-legged cardio and I did abs for a week and worked out, and that’s all.”
Now back to being 100 percent healthy, Rob said he is “excited for camp and to get back out on the field,” although his offseason has been a nice mix of work and play.
“Are you living it up, enjoying this life?” Michelle asked.
“Yeah, it’s going well. At the same time, you’re living it up but you’ve also got to put football first – always working out, always making sure I’m training wherever I am… but at the same time, having a good time,” he explained.
Rob has been enjoying his newfound superstar status – hitting the red carpet in Hollywood earlier this week for the ESPY Awards – so, does he have any celebrity crushes he’d like to meet?
“The girl from ‘Hall Pass.’ I forgot her name,” he revealed, after having to think about it for a moment. “The blonde chick that makes coffee.”
(That would be actress Nicky Whelan, who plays barista Leigh in the big screen comedy, starring Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis.)
So is a career in Hollywood in the cards after he’s done playing football?
“I don’t know, that’s in a while! I’m planning on playing for a while, but it looks pretty cool and all – I could probably take Michelle [Beadle’s] job in the future,” he joked.
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