Rob Gronkowski Will Be the Cover Athlete on Xbox’s ‘Madden NFL ’17’

The towering Patriot is the first tight end to ever front Madden.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is everywhere. He has a book out, he’s done reality TV, and his good-time partying ways are pretty much legend at this point. But the cold hard fact is Gronkowski —sorry, Gronk — is a top-tier athlete with a rare combination of speed, power, and size. Electronic Arts (EA) has stepped up to recognize Gronk the athlete by announcing he’ll be on the cover of Madden NFL ’17.

As ESPN reported, this will mark the first time a tight end has ever graced a Madden cover. 

Gronk told ESPN’s Sports Center that this is “a dream come true, going into my seventh season and being on the cover.” 

Gronk also said he felt “blessed” when he found out about it and that the moment was “surreal.”

When ESPN asked about the “Madden curse” — a myth that players who make the cover end up injured or performing poorly — Gronk wasn’t concerned. “It’s definitely reversed itself from back in the day,” he told ESPN before listing recent cover stars who continued playing well. “I feel like everything is going to go smoothly,” he concluded.

Patriots fans certainly hope so. With the possibility that Deflategate may keep star QB Tom Brady out for the first four games of the coming season, the New England team will need Rob Gronkowski at the top of his game. 

Mark your calendar now — the Gronk Madden NFL ’17 hits the game store shelves on August 23, 2016.

h/t ESPN