Saturday, November 7, was a special day for New England Patriots fans. Franchise icon Rob Gronkowski was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, his remarkable nine-year stint with the team forever enshrined with other Pats greats. However, Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce unexpectedly caught strays during this special moment.
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“Kelce and [Rob Gronkowski] don’t even come close. He’s [Kelce] a receiver. This guy’s [Gronkowski] a tight end,” said former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich, who went to Foxborough to attend the ceremony.
It was all about the debate of being the all-time tight end. Back in 2021, Kelce had beaten Gronkwoski’srecord of 8,668 yards, hitting the 8,702 receiving yards mark after beating the Dallas Cowboys. In that game, he caught five passes for 74 yards.
Back then, only tight ends ahead of Kelce were former Chiefs player Tony Gonzalez (15,127 yards), Las Vegas Raiders’ Jason Witten (13,046), ex-Los Angeles Chargers standout Antonio Gates (11,841) and ex-Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe (10,060). Five years later, Kelce is now only behind Gonzalez, having surpassed Witten this year.
But to Ninkovich, Gronkowski is the best tight end. Ninkovich’s argument stems from the difference in how Kelce and Gronkowski have approached the tight end position.
Kelce, who is younger than Gronkowski, was once called ‘Baby Gronk.’ He still might be, but the Chiefs TE made it clear in 2020 that he doesn’t like the name.
“You’re always trying to compare the top two,” Kelce said on Good Morning Football. LeBron (James) will always be compared to Kobe (Bryant), and vice versa with (Michael) Jordan. And you know what? I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I do hate the Baby Gronk. So all the Patriots fans, I kind of just gave you fuel to call me that again. But don’t call me that ever again.”
Travis Kelce, of course, has played longer than Rob Gronkowski. The Chiefs TE is playing in his 14th season, while Gronkowski retired. Injuries have plagued the former Patriots TE more than Kelce.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time that Ninkovich stirred Kelce’s pot.
“I mean, I’ve played against Kelce, and I’ve thrown him around like he’s a little doll,” he said on the Hardwick & Richards podcast in 2018. “The guy doesn’t want to block, so when you’re a tight end, and you don’t want to block, you’re not really a tight end.”
Over the years, the two have made it difficult to truly crown one of them as the best tight end in the modern NFL. But Kelce has established that he is one of Gronkowski’s biggest admirers.
“The guy is an unbelievable person, talent, you name it, man,” the Chiefs TE said on Fanatics View in 2021, when Gronkowski was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “I might be one of the biggest Gronk fans out there, let it be told. To see his career and how he’s been able to get through all the ups and downs, handling adversity, leaving the game, coming back; it seems like he loves it all over again. I’m just happy as heck for him to be able to reach the mountain peak all over again.
Years later, we know that both are among the best tight ends in the history of the NFL. Travis Kelce will also surely get a similar honor from the Chiefs after he retires. Who knows, the two might also find each other in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton someday in the future.