Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman weren’t just teammates during the New England Patriots’ dynasty, they were two of its pillars. Together, they helped deliver three Super Bowl titles, countless clutch plays, and some of the most memorable moments in recent NFL history.
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But unlike most on-field partnerships, which invariably have an expiration date, Gronk and Edelman’s chemistry found new life off the field after retirement. In the form of Dudes on Dudes — their unfiltered, hilarious, and surprisingly insightful podcast.
With nearly 80,000 subscribers on YouTube, the duo’s podcast has found a lot of love from the masses. But surprisingly, Gronkowski never saw himself getting behind the mic. That’s when Edelman stepped in.
“I never thought it was really for me,” Gronkowski admitted on Bussin’ with the Boys. “I always liked going on people’s podcasts, but I said no [to hosting my own]. I was like, ‘I don’t want to start my own podcast’.”
The former Patriots TE’s stance only changed when he appeared as a guest on Games with Names. Gronkowski realized that his conversations with host Edelman were effortless, entertaining, and — most importantly — he didn’t have to do the heavy lifting himself.
“Julian already had his podcast, so Julian was experienced,” Gronkowski explained. “And then I saw that Julian can carry the load of the podcast, too. We were just talking about that on Sunday Conversations. He’s like, ‘Julian takes the whole load of the podcast,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah’.”
This realization flipped the switch for Gronk. With Edelman at the wheel and a veteran production team already in place, the former Patriot saw the opportunity to jump in and just be himself. “It was just the right fit,” Gronk added. “It’s kind of like going to Tampa — had to be the right fit.”
That said, the timing also helped. Since Gronkowski is often in Los Angeles for his work on the FOX pregame show, the duo usually knocks out an episode or two during the week. In the offseason, they’ve even linked up in Boston to record a couple of episodes on the spot. And when they can’t meet in person, Zoom calls fill the gap.
“Half of them right now in the offseason are over Zoom,” Gronk said. “The other half are whenever we can get in person.”
What started as an uncertain endeavor has turned into another classic Gronkowski-Edelman collaboration — built on trust, laughter, and a solid understanding of each other’s strengths. And just like on the field, Gronkowski’s playing freely, knowing that his teammate has got his back.
So if Dudes on Dudes sounds like two friends having the time of their lives — that’s because it is. And luckily for Gronk, podcasting might just be the most fun he’s had since spiking footballs in the end zone.
