Rob Gronkowski catches football dropped 600 feet out of helicopter, sets world record
TUSCON, Ariz. - Coming off an epic performance in Super Bowl LV, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski pulled off an incredible, record-breaking catch at his alma mater’s spring game earlier this week.
Gronkowski, who played college football at the University of Arizona, was brought in to get the players on the team hyped up for the annual scrimmage, and that consisted of the former All-Pro setting a Guinness World Record for "the highest altitude catch that's ever been done in the world," according to Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch.
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A football was over 600 feet up in the air in a helicopter that was circling around Arizona Stadium in Tucson. Gronkowski failed to haul in the first two footballs that were dropped from the sky, but after he secured the third ball, Arizona players and coaches ran up to Gronkowski in excitement and he spiked the football into the turf, which is what he famously does after scoring touchdowns.
"Every time you step on the field, you've got to raise the bar to another level, baby," Gronkowski said to the players afterward. "And I just raised that bar to this level."
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Gronkowski, who is regarded as the "top alum" in program history, sported an Arizona helmet and his old No. 48 jersey that he wore during his college days.
The four-time Super Bowl champion was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He spent nine seasons in New England before retiring from football in 2018. Gronkowski made an NFL comeback in 2020, joined Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, and led the team to their first Super Bowl title since 2002.