Tom Brady Publicly Calls Out Rob Gronkowski’s Bad Habits as Fox Broadcaster Hits Back Instantly

Fox NFL Sunday gave fans a little treat, bringing Tom Brady and his old running mate Rob Gronkowski back together… well, virtually at least. Brady was in the booth, calling his second season opener as a Fox analyst for the Commanders vs. Giants game. Meanwhile, Gronk was holding it down on the pregame desk with Howie Long, Terry Bradshaw, Michael Strahan, and Jay Glazer.

And of course, even with miles away between them, Brady couldn’t resist sneaking in a jab at his former teammate. On Sunday, September 7, the NFL on Fox shared a clip on their Instagram handle with a humorous caption, “It’s only Week 1 and @tombrady is already throwing jabs at @gronk 😂.” Turns out, Brady took a jab at Gronk for often being late after the Patriots‘ legend arrived on time for the first time. “Can I say something first?” Brady urged.

“I’m glad Gronk (Gronkowski) was on time today. Usually, you know, the first few weeks of the season is a little bit off, but I’m glad he was here early.” But Gronk wasn’t having it. The former NFL tight end fired back and called out Brady for always coming after him. “Always coming after me,” Gronk said. And let’s just say, Brady’s playful banter with Gronk was palpable.

After all, for years, the former TE’s been clowning Brady, whether about his age, diet, or ultra-serious personality. Take this year’s Fox NFL Sunday, for instance. In a humorous moment, Gronkowski praised Brady, stating, “You’re 12 years older than me, and you’re kinda looking younger than me. Whatever you’re doing is working. Keep it up, my man.”

So, when Brady finally started poking fun at Gronk’s goofy, laid-back reputation—like he’s the guy who might roll in late or not take the first few weeks of a season too seriously- it all made sense. “You know what, I gotta keep you on your toes over there. You took a lot of shots of me over the years. I’m coming back,” Brady added. And right after Tom Brady’s comments went down, Gronk didn’t let that slide, though—he fired right back at his old teammate.

Rob Gronkowski is coming for Tom Brady next week

After the 2024 NFL season wrapped, Fox NFL Sunday said goodbye to a familiar face. Jimmy Johnson officially called it a career in March, stepping away after more than three decades as one of the network’s cornerstone voices. So heading into the 2025 regular season, there was always going to be one big question—who’s filling Jimmy’s seat?

Just last month, Fox made it official—Rob Gronkowski is stepping into a weekly role on Fox NFL Sunday, filling the seat left by the legendary coach. Gronk joined the crew on September 7, and as Brady couldn’t help but point out, he actually showed up on time. Of course, Brady had to get his playful jab in. But Gronk wasn’t about to let it slide. He clapped back and even threw a little warning his old quarterback’s way.

Gronk slid into the comment section and responded to Brady’s statement, “I am coming for you next week, Tommy Boy, so watch out.” Looking ahead to Week 2, Fox NFL Sunday is set to roll out five regular-season games on September 14. Gronk’s already sent a little warning Brady’s way about his arrival. The only question now—will he actually show up on time? That remains to be seen.