Rob Gronkowski had plenty of familiar faces in his corner for his New England Patriots Hall of Fame induction on Saturday, but one presence clearly stood out above the rest. The former tight end opened up about what it meant to have Tom Brady by his side for the big day.

“It meant everything… He wanted to be here. It just meant a lot, man. Tom can be anywhere else. He’s the greatest player of all time. It just meant a lot to myself, my family, and to the fans, I’m sure as well,” Gronkowski said, via Justin Turpin.

Rob Gronkowski on having Tom Brady at his Patriots Hall of Fame induction:

“It meant everything… He wanted to be here. It just meant a lot, man. Tom can be anywhere else. He’s the greatest player of all time. It just meant a lot to myself, my family, and to the fans, I’m sure… pic.twitter.com/JF8oYLQLTv

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) November 7, 2026

Brady received a loud ovation from the crowd at Patriot Place Plaza, where many of Gronkowski’s former teammates and coaches gathered for the ceremony. The legendary quarterback also showed his former tight end some love on social media, reposting a video of the two embracing with a simple message.

“That’s my 🐐,” Brady wrote.

The mutual admiration makes sense. Brady and Gronkowski formed one of the most dominant quarterback-tight end duos in NFL history, winning three Super Bowls together in New England before reuniting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to capture a fourth title in the 2020 season.

Gronkowski was voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame by fans in April, in his first year of eligibility. He joined Brady, who was inducted in 2024.

The honor caps a remarkable career in New England. Gronkowski spent nine seasons with the Patriots after being selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Arizona. He racked up 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns in the regular season, and his 80 total touchdowns rank first in franchise history. He was also a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time First-Team All-Pro.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft was unable to attend the ceremony while recovering from back surgery, but he had high praise for Gronkowski when the honor was announced.

“Rob became a fan favorite almost immediately and remained the standard at tight end for nearly a decade,” Kraft said.

The celebration continues on Sunday, when Gronkowski will be honored at halftime of the Patriots’ game against the Green Bay Packers. Brady will be on hand for that one as well, calling the game from the FOX broadcast booth.