Morning Sports Update

Rob Gronkowski explained the difference between Patriots and Chiefs dynasties

Gronkowski also joked about his inability to correctly predict recent Super Bowl outcomes.

Rob Gronkowski Patriots Chiefs comparison
Rob Gronkowski at a college bowl game in Dec. 2024. AP Photo/Ryan Sun

Rob Gronkowski is trying to learn from past Super Bowl pick mistakes: Rob Gronkowski accrued more Super Bowl experience than most players during his accomplished NFL career. He was a part of four championships (three with the Patriots, one with the Buccanneers), and is one of only a comparative handful of players who won titles with multiple teams.

Yet for all of his knowledge of the NFL’s biggest stage, it hasn’t exactly helped him correctly predict the outcome of recent Super Bowls. As late night host Jimmy Fallon showcased in a Wednesday segment with Gronkowski, the former Patriot has been notably wrong in the last two seasons with the predictions he made on “The Tonight Show.”

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After showing a quick montage of Gronkowski erroneously backing the Eagles in 2023 and then the 49ers in 2024, Fallon cut to the chase. As Gronkowski laughed at his previous mistakes, he was asked for his prediction in 2025’s Super LIX (once again between the Chiefs and Eagles).

“Well I will not go against the Chiefs for a third time in a row, so the Kansas City Chiefs 30, the Philadelphia Eagles 26,” he predicted.

As if aware that Eagles fans would be unhappy with his about-turn on their chances, he quickly reminded Philadelphians that all was most certainly not lost.

“I’m sure there are Philly fans out there, you should be happy about that pick, because obviously I’m wrong every single year,” Gronkowski joked.

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Along with a score prediction, Fallon asked Gronkowski about a subject he has a particularly good vantage point in assessing: the conversation around whether Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all-time.

“Patrick Mahomes is definitely the greatest player in the NFL, currently playing right now,” Gronkowski explained. “But in order to get into the GOAT-talk, the greatest of all-time, I’m going to be a little biased because I played with Tom Brady. I think he’s the greatest player of all-time. I mean he’s proven that he is the greatest player of all-time. In order for Patrick Mahomes to enter that era, I mean first off, he’s got to win the Super Bowl coming up and get the three-peat, and I’ll believe that’s probably one of the best dynasties in [a] decade.

“We had the dynasty for two decades,” Gronkowski reminded Fallon. “But of having dynasties for one decade, that’s the best dynasty for one decade I would say if they win the three-peat.”

Gronkowski also pointed out that Brady held a better head-to-head record in the playoffs against Mahomes (including the Super Bowl LV win). In all, he noted that he still needs to see more from Mahomes and the Chiefs.

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“It might be the best dynasty for just one decade,” Gronkowski concluded of the Chiefs, “but the best dynasty of two decades in a row, that’s going to take 10 more years.”

While Gronkowski’s assessment was half-joking, his overall analysis remains grounded in fact. The Chiefs won the first Super Bowl of the Mahomes era in 2020, and have now won three in five years. Adding a fourth would further cement Kansas City’s status as the dominant NFL power of the 2020s.

The Patriots, on the other hand, won the first Super Bowl title of the Brady era in 2002, winning five more in span that ran until 2019. No NFL team has won that many Super Bowls in the same period of time (and only the Steelers have as many all-time Super Bowl wins, though it was accomplished over a 34-year span).

Trivia: Five Patriots rank in the top-10 in all-time Super Bowl receptions. Rob Gronkowski is one (ranking third with 29). Can you name the other four?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: All wide receivers.

Scores and schedules:

The Celtics defeated the Bulls 122-100 at home on Wednesday. Kristaps Porzingis led Boston with 34 points. Tomorrow, the Celtics play the Pelicans in New Orleans at 8 p.m.

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Tonight, the Bruins play the Jets at home at 7 p.m.

And on Friday, the Boston Fleet will host the New York Sirens at the Tsongas Center at 7 p.m.

More from Boston.com:

Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski on Mike Vrabel: Here’s the full clip of the two former Patriots discussing the team’s new head coach. (Note: Some strong language is used).

On this day: In 2017, the Celtics beat the Pistons 113-109, with Isaiah Thomas scoring 41 points while adding eight assists. Thomas was particularly effective late in the game, erupting for 24 in the fourth quarter.

Daily highlight: Guelor Kanga’s perfectly placed wonder-strike was enough for FK Crvena zvezda in a 1-0 UEFA Champions League win on Wednesday.

Trivia answer: Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Deion Branch, Wes Welker

Hayden Bird

Sports Staff

Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.

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