Rob Gronkowski explains why Bill Belichick is his new favorite person

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots reacts with head coach Bill Belichick after catching a touchdown pass during the third quarter of a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski admitted he's liking the new side he's seeing from Bill Belichick.

Ever since "The Roast of Tom Brady" Netflix special, things have been different for the former coach and de facto general manager of the Patriots. He's cracking jokes, giving out hugs and showing a willingness to cut it loose and have a little fun.

In May, he was taking shots onstage with his former players. That's the version of the legendary coach Gronkowski loved to see.

"I think Coach Belichick may be my new favorite person ever since The Roast," said Gronkowski, when appearing on "Games with Names" with Julian Edelman. "If he just showed that personality at all while he was a head coach, I still think we would be playing for the New England Patriots and winning Super Bowls."

Gronkowski has been open in the past that playing with the Patriots wasn't always fun. During an appearance on the "Up & Adams" podcast in early 2023, he explained that losing in New England felt like a "super depression" and even winning felt like losing the next day.

He wasn't taking a shot at the organization but merely expressing how he felt at the time.

Belichick ran his ship a certain way, and it was obviously effective considering the team won six Super Bowls. Yet, an argument could be made that those ways fell out of favor in his final years in New England.

The hard-nosed way of doing things wasn't accepted the same when the team was losing football games.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Rob Gronkowski explains why Bill Belichick is his new favorite person