Rob Gronkowski Hilariously Recovers From Near Wipeout While Dancing To Tate McRae On New Year's Eve

NFL star Rob Gronkowski knows how to make an audience smile, and he did exactly that while hosting the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" broadcast with Julianne Hough in Las Vegas. Gronkowski, known for his infectious personality just as much as he's revered for his skills on the football field, captured everyone's attention while performing some cheeky dance moves before the ball drop. Things almost went awry, however, when the Super Bowl champion nearly took a hard tumble before recovering at just the right time.

As seen on TikTok, Gronkowski brought all of the energy to the "New Year's Rockin' Eve" celebration, dancing with Hough and other notable figures to pop star McRae's hit single "Sports Car." While moving and gyrating, Gronkowski appeared to lose his footing and stumbled to the ground. However, before the NFL star was seriously injured, he caught himself and finished the routine with a silly pose.

"Gronk tackled the stage and his 'Dancing with the Stars' audition," Hough captioned her video of the moment, prompting fans to begin calling for the former New England Patriots player's appearance on the competition series. "Please, we need Gronk on DWTS," someone wrote, to which another added, "He's def going to be on the next season."

Gronkowski's moves on stage weren't much of a surprise, though, as the 36-year-old was seen practicing his skills shortly before the event began. In a video he shared, Gronkowski is seen moving his body, sliding across the floor, and thrusting his hips. "I thought there was no chance these moves would work," he captioned the video.

Like the clip above, fans thoroughly enjoyed watching Gronkowski's choreography, as one wrote, "No one could ever make me dislike this man," and another shared, "D-mn, that is perfection."

While Gronkowski's NFL peers aren't out dancing to McRae, sharpening his performance skills has always been a goal of his. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight about his appearance as the White Tiger on Fox's "The Masked Singer," Gronkowski said that he's "always" wanted to learn to sing and dance.

"Once I got the opportunity, I really didn't know exactly what I was getting into. Now that I got some time on my hands, I thought, why not? I've always wanted to be part of a singing show," he said.

Gronkowski also reflected on how being part of the "Masked Singer" and playing in the league are similar. "You get a little shakiness going, your nerves are rumbling right before you get up on stage and before a big game," he said. "It's definitely different conditioning. It's just opening up a whole new aspect in your body. It feels good when you're done."

He shared about his experience on Instagram, stating that he "learned so much" before thanking those who supported him.

His appearance on "The Masked Singer" is just one of the many credits the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player has added to his resume, which, according to him, has helped him build his wealth. During a podcast appearance, Gronkowski confirmed that he's never spent a dime of his NFL money. "I just always wanted to save it, and I just used my money that I was getting off the field to just spend it on whatever I needed to spend it on. Technically, I have not spent any of my NFL money," he said.

In another interview, according to The Blast, Gronkowski also weighed in on Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and his future in the league.

After the Chiefs were knocked out of playoff contention for the first time in 10 consecutive years and with Kelce's lavish wedding to pop star Taylor Swift looming, fans are convinced that the Super Bowl champion is hanging up his cleats for the last time at the end of the current season.

Gronkowski agrees, telling the "Up & Adams" crew that his "gut" tells him Kelce is saying goodbye to the game in 2026. "In the end, overall, where the Kansas City Chiefs are with Patrick Mahomes getting hurt, with everything else that's going on in Travis Kelce's life, I think this is his last year."