Bucs star Rob Gronkowski sets world record with unreal catch from helicopter
Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Rob Gronkowski had quite the weekend at his alma mater.
The hulking tight end known as "Gronk" set a Guinness world record in what is being dubbed his last catch at the University of Arizona.
Arizona head football coach Jedd Fisch, who was the Patriots' quarterbacks coach in 2020, invited Gronkowski to coach a team during the Wildcats' spring game on Saturday.
Gronkowski was introduced to the team by Fisch on Friday and shortly afterward, Fisch announced that the famous alumnus would be attempting to catch a football from a helicopter that was hovering 600 feet in the air above Arizona Stadium.
Dressed in his college jersey, football pads and a helmet, Gronk was able to secure the world's highest altitude catch on his third attempt, sending the assembled team of college players into hysteria.
"I almost had the first one, and after the first one, I knew I could do it," Gronkowski said during halftime of Saturday's spring game. "It was definitely a little bit different than I'm used to, from the other catches that I usually make. I had a couple tries and I got it down, and I made the catch and got that world record."
Watch video of Gronk's world-record catch below:
In addition, Gronkowski's team won the spring game over a squad coached by Tedy Bruschi, a Patriots Hall of Famer who is serving as a senior advisor to Fisch. Players gave Gronk a "victory shower" once the game was sealed.
Gronkowski also had plenty fun during the game, as he joined Fisch in throwing water balloons into the student section.
This weekend marked Gronk's first visit to the University of Arizona campus in nearly a decade.
"It's cool just to come back and support the kids, talk to the kids, talk to the team and just help the energy build up. Also, I want to see them balling. I want to see U of A balling," he said. "This is my school. This is my college that I went to. I want to be proud of them. It's been a couple rough seasons. I'm ready to see it amp up to another level now."
The Patriots drafted Gronkowski out of Arizona in 2010 with the 42nd overall pick in the second round. Gronk went on to win three Super Bowl titles and earned five Pro Bowl nods and four First Team All-Pro selections during his time in New England.
Gronkowski retired in March 2019, but came out of retirement in 2020 to rejoin his former New England Patriots teammate, quarterback Tom Brady, on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gronk won his fourth Super Bowl title in his first season with the Bucs. He was Tampa Bay's leading receiver in the big game with six catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns.