Why Julian Edelman Says New England Patriots Needed Rob Gronkowski To Lift The Mood

Julian Edelman says the Patriots locker room felt "a little dark" until Rob Gronkowski arrived.© Image via: X/@NFL

Julian Edelman has a clear memory of the New England Patriots locker room before Rob Gronkowski joined it. He says it was tense and getting stale. Edelman shared that on Monday's The Gronk & Jules Show, just days after Gronkowski went into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 7. His story involves a second-round pick, a coach who was not sold after a 12-minute interview, and a roster unsure how Bill Belichick would react to a teammate this loose. Edelman, who spent almost nine years beside Gronkowski, saw the change up close.

Julian Edelman Explains What Rob Gronkowski Changed Inside The New England Patriots Locker Room

Belichick was not an easy sell. After that 12-minute interview, he asked scout Jon Robinson if this was the player he wanted in the first round. Gronkowski had spent most of the talk on hot tubs. Belichick wanted a football-obsessed player, until the tape showed how explosive Gronkowski was. Edelman, already in the building, told his co-host what happened next:

“You were 100% correct when you said Bill drafted a guy like you and we needed a guy like you. To soften up the high-stress environment that we had, cuz I mean, I was in that transition period before you, and it was a little dark in there. It was getting stale. And then we bring in this guy, Gronk, and he's the most lovey-joyey guy. And we all were like, ‘How are we going to react to Bill? How this guy acts?' And he couldn't say anything because you were such a dominant football player. And how you treated all your teammates, being the superstar, you were.

“You never knew Gronk was a superstar. You always included everyone. You were the best teammate. The joy that you had was great for a guy like me,” Edelman recalled on The Gronk & Jules Show on Monday.

Rob Gronkowski receives his red jacket as he's officially inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. https://t.co/PzBlPPPIBQ

— Boston 25 News (@boston25) November 7, 2026

The coaching staff had warned the room that it would like the new guy. That warning proved accurate almost immediately.

Rob Gronkowski And Julian Edelman Built A Friendship Before Winning Three Super Bowls With The New England Patriots

The two met at an autograph signing early in Gronkowski's career and ended up at a club together that same night. Edelman became Tom Brady's reliable slot option over the middle. Gronkowski beat defenders in the run game and the pass game. The Patriots won three Super Bowls while both were on the roster.

Edelman also guards his friend's reputation. Former teammate Jake Bequette once claimed Gronkowski arrived at the facility still recovering from nights out. Edelman called the story “BS” and said Gronkowski was one of the most dedicated teammates he had.

The Hall of Fame ceremony at Gillette Stadium drew more than 60 former players. Edelman sent a video message calling Gronkowski “the most dominant player I ever played with” and “a joy to be around.” Gronkowski now joins Edelman and Brady in the Hall.

These days, Edelman and Gronkowski share a microphone as analysts and podcast hosts, and the Foxborough stories keep coming.