NEW YORK — Team Gronkowski is a very excitable group. But they had good reason Friday when draft prospect Rob Gronkowski was chosen by the Patriots with the No. 42 overall pick.

I snuck backstage for a few moments, and inside the green room Team Gronkowski had surrounded Rob in a celebratory huddle chanting “Whooo! Whooo! Whooo!” after he got the call from the Patriots, to the amusement of everyone within earshot. They let out a cheer when it was officially announced by commissioner Roger Goodell onstage just a few feet away.

The best was yet to come, though, because after he was introduced by Goodell, Gronkowski did a chest bump (not with Goodell, btw) and actually put on a Patriots helmet as the group continued its celebration by chanting “Gronk! Gronk! Gronk!” I’m not sure we’ve ever seen that onstage at an NFL Draft.

“I just got hyped,” Gronkowski explained, saying it wasn’t pre-meditated. He was almost out of breath.

Gronkowski was also pretty excited to find out he’ll be playing his older brother, Lions TE Dan Gronkowski, on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit.

Rob stopped by to give Patriots fans a flipcam shout out, which you’ll be seeing soon on the NFL Facebook page.

– Frank Tadych

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