Father Time doesn’t spare anyone, not even NFL legends who spent the majority of their careers on the field while following top-tier nutrition. And if you need proof, look no further than the latest back-and-forth between former Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
Advertisement
In a recent episode of their podcast, Dudes on Dudes, the iconic Patriots duo were seen doing what they do best: roasting each other. But this time, it was Edelman’s graying hair that took center stage.
It all started when the former Patriots TE noticed his longtime friend rocking a few more silver strands than usual. “Dang, where did that gray come from? Keep that hat on, Jules,” Gronk said when Edelman took off his baseball hat, pointing out the obvious with the subtlety of a freight train.
The ex-NFL wide receiver, never one to back down from a jab without a fight, fired back with his own brand of dry humor. “I have good hair, it’s just gray,” he replied.
But the conversation quickly took a hilarious turn when Gronkowski asked if Edelman had been taking tips from their best friend and the one who completes their trio, Tom Brady. After all, the GOAT, now well into his 40s, still looks like he could model for a skincare ad with his spotless face and glowing skin. His hair, too, seems to defy age.
“You’re always talking about it, like, Tom does this with his hair, I’m doing it now too, and yours is all gray, and his looks like he’s 20 years old,” Gronk ribbed.
That’s when the former Patriots WR revealed the secret Brady supposedly passed down to him.
“He gave me this Chinese powder that I put in my smoothies,” Edelman said. “(Brady) said it’s gonna make my fu**ing hair turn brown again. I’ve been taking it for three years, my sh*t is gray as f*ck, Tom.”
Unsurprisingly, Rob Gronkowski reacted with a booming laugh after the reveal, then proceeded to state the obvious. “He’s got you. He’s pranking you, f***,” he said, shaking his head.
JULIAN EDELMAN HAS BEEN PUTTING A CHINESE POWDER IN HIS HAIR THAT TOM BRADY TOLD HIM TO USE.
BRADY CLAIMED THIS WOULD STOP HIS HAIR FROM GRAYING & EDELMAN SAYS HE HAS USED IT FOR 3 YEARS WITH ZERO RESULTS.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 12, 2025
The moment wasn’t just funny — it was pure vintage Patriots. Watching Gronk and Edelman go back and forth while dropping Brady’s name seemed straight out of a scene of the Patriots locker room from the early 2010s.
That said, did Brady really prank his former teammate with the Chinese powder? Though the seven-time Super Bowl winner has never been known for being a prankster during his playing days, it’s also far-fetched to think that Brady might’ve pulled a fast one on Edelman.
After all, this is the same guy who convinced half the NFL to eat avocado ice cream and sleep in recovery pyjamas. So giving his buddy some mystery powder with zero proof of results sounds exactly like the kind of long-game mischief the Patriots legend would enjoy.
What makes this interaction even funnier is imagining a future Edelman, with each scoop of his smoothie, wondering if he’s been the butt of a years-long joke. And if so, one thing is for sure — Rob Gronkowski’s not letting him live it down anytime soon.
