page_title: Rob Gronkowski
section_title: 2012 season
hierarchical_section_title: Rob Gronkowski / Professional career / New England Patriots / 2012 season
caption_attribution_description: English: Dimitri Patterson intercepts a Tom Brady pass
context_page_description: Robert James Gronkowski, nicknamed "Gronk", is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He previously played nine seasons for the New England Patriots. He is a three-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a four-time First Team All-Pro selection, and was selected in the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
  Gronkowski played college football at the University of Arizona, winning several awards, including being named a Sporting News and Rivals.com Freshman All-American. Despite only playing two collegiate seasons, his 18.8 yards per reception average and 1,197 receiving yards were a team record for his position. The Patriots drafted Gronkowski in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the 42nd pick, after missing his junior year due to back surgery.
  Notable for being a skilled receiver and talented blocker, Gronkowski has set several NFL records, including being the only one of his position to ever lead the league in receiving touchdowns in 2011.
context_section_description: On June 8, 2012, Gronkowski signed a six-year, $54 million contract extension, the largest ever for an NFL tight end. The contract included an $8 million signing bonus, but otherwise left the 2012 and 2013 seasons of his rookie contract intact. Gronkowski started the season with receiving touchdowns in consecutive games, a 34–13 victory over the Tennessee Titans and a 20–18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 4, he had five receptions for 104 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in a 52–28 victory over the Buffalo Bills. In Week 7, against the New York Jets, he had six receptions for 78 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the 29–26 victory. In Week 8, against the St. Louis Rams, he had eight receptions for 146 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the 45–7 victory.
  In the Patriots' 59–24 victory in Week 11 over the Indianapolis Colts, Gronkowski had seven receptions for 137 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Gronkowski broke his left forearm late in the fourth quarter during an extra point  He became the third tight end in NFL history (after Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates) to achieve three seasons with at least 10 touchdown receptions, and the first ever to do it in consecutive seasons. Gronkowski returned to practice in Week 15, and participated in the Week 17 game against the Miami Dolphins, scoring a touchdown. He re-injured his left arm in the first quarter of the Patriots' first playoff game, against the Houston Texans. He required another operation, and missed the remainder of the playoffs. In 11 games in the 2012 season, Gronkowski had 790 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
caption: Gronkowski during the 2013 season
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