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There have been a host of terrific nicknames in football history, but has there ever been one better than Gronk?
Yes, it’s simply the abbreviation of a last name, but in this case it seemed to symbolize the essence of the player: a no-nonsense syllable as forceful as a crunching block to seal the end on a sweep, as dynamic as a leaping touchdown grab over a hapless defender.
Gronk even sounds whimsical or playful, which could not be more fitting.
The man behind the nickname, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, announced his retirement on Sunday.