The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl 55 in Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady’s first season with the team. However, the players were unable to celebrate their win as they usually would because of the COVID-19 pandemic raging at that time (February 2021). Instead of a regular parade through the streets of the winning team’s city, which was not an option because of social distancing measures, they had a boat parade to get around those restrictions.
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But just because they were on a boat rather than on a bus or the street didn’t mean they weren’t having a good time. In fact, they seemed to be having an even better time. Brady clearly had more beers than his TB12 method would allow. At one point, he orchestrated perhaps the most iconic moment in Super Bowl parade history when he tossed the Lombardi Trophy from his boat, across the water to another boat, where it was thankfully hauled in.
It was one of the riskiest moves you’ll see anyone make with a major trophy such as that. But of course, Brady stayed cool and completed the throw. Many simply assumed because it was Brady throwing it and there was some alcohol involved that it was Gronkowski who caught the trophy. Now, four years later, Gronk is here to dispel that rumor. He did not make that catch—though it was a Bucs tight end that did the deed.
“Tom threw that Super Bowl trophy and everyone thinks I caught that. But I can tell you this: I did not catch that Super Bowl trophy. That was the other tight end, Cam Brate, who had a heck of a playoff run and he came through clutch once again when he caught that trophy when Brady threw it. Some reason everyone thinks that was me.”
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Cameron Brate played his entire nine-year career with Tampa Bay. His best season came in 2016 when he caught 57 passes for 660 yards and eight scores. His role diminished in the following years, and he put up his lowest receptions, yards, and TD totals since his rookie year in 2020 when fellow TE Rob Gronkowski joined the fold along with Brady.
While Gronk was the more important TE during the regular season, Brate took the laurels come playoffs. He had 80 yards in the first game, 50 yards in the second, scored a TD in the NFC Championship Game, and then finished with three receptions for 26 yards in the Super Bowl 55 triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished 3rd on the team in catches and receiving yards during that postseason.
Add his clutch Lombardi Trophy catch at Sparkman Wharf during the victory parade, and Brate had himself a playoff run for the ages. Brate was probably disappointed that no one gave him credit for the catch. But, at least he likely remembers the event. Gronk says he would love to give the boat parade another go because he drank so much that he doesn’t “remember much” from the big day.
“And if I could go back, I would actually redo that boat parade because I was absolutely hammered and I don’t actually remember much. I hadn’t drank all season and that was my first time drinking. And, oh sh*t I lost myself. I kinda wish I remembered more of the boat parade, because that’s something you want to remember for your whole life.”
It was surprising to hear a hard drinker like Gronkowski say he hadn’t drunk all season. But when you consider his teammate, Brady, and his hardcore TB12 regimen, it’s less surprising. No wonder the pair were so blitzed at the parade.
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Gronk also said he was extra thankful for Brate’s Lombardi catch because he knows that if it dropped into the water, he would’ve been far too hammered to even think about diving in to save it. A few days later, however, he might return with some scuba gear to fish it out of there along with lunch for the afternoon.
“But if that trophy did fall into the sea I definitely would’ve let it go right then and there, because I would’ve possibly drowned because I was out of my mind. But I would’ve definitely went back two or three days later and went deep sea diving to go get it with the scuba gear on. Here comes scuba Gronk! Grab a couple fish on my way up so we can grill up after as well.”
Rob Gronkowski retired following the 2021 season due to a litany of tough injuries, including a punctured lung. He put up 100 receptions for 1,425 yards and 13 TDs in his two years with the Buccaneers. He has since taken on a role as an NFL analyst for Fox. There were whispers last month that he would make a triumphant return to the gridiron this season, but Gronk dispelled those rumors quickly.
