Gronk becomes a Laker Girl: 6ft 6in former NFL star joins cheerleading squad for half-time performance with Venus Williams and James Corden
- The ex-New England Patriots tight end danced with the Laker Girls last night
- He wore a yellow Lakers jersey as he joined in the half-time performance in LA
- Delighted spectators at the Staples Center also saw the Lakers win their game
Former NFL star Rob Gronkowski took an unlikely turn as a Laker Girl alongside the NBA side’s regular cheerleaders in Los Angeles last night.
The retired New England Patriots player joined the cheerleading squad in a half-time performance during the Lakers’ fixture against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wearing a yellow Lakers jersey, the 6ft6in Gronkowski made a creditable effort to keep up with the dance routine as Laker Girl regulars performed around him.
Gronk joined tennis legend Venus Williams and talk show host James Corden in the guest performance at the Staples Center where the Lakers won the game 112-107.
Guest appearance: Former NFL star Rob Gronkowski took an unlikely turn as a Laker Girl alongside the NBA side’s regular cheerleaders in Los Angeles last night
Concentration: Wearing a yellow Lakers jersey, the 6ft6in Gronkowski made a creditable effort to keep up with the dance routine as Laker Girl regulars performed around him
Gronkowski and Corden both wore yellow jerseys, while Venus Williams and stand-up comedian Ian Karmel were kitted out in purple shirts.
Some viewers were heard chuckling along with Gronkowski as he tried his best to follow the dance routine.
Gronkowski, who announced his retirement in March, has hinted at a possible future comeback but will not return to the NFL this season.
In August he said he was still fit enough for the NFL and ‘could play right now if I wanted to play’.
Yesterday he announced plans for a Super Bowl party called Gronk Beach, to be held alongside the NFL showpiece in Miami next February.
‘I may not be playing the game this year, but I will still be going to Miami and I’m going to be debuting my very own music festival and its Gronk Beach,’ he said.
‘I mean, you can’t ask for any other situation that better than that. Bring some wildness, some fun, to bring a music festival to Miami and not just on top of Miami, at the Super Bowl. It’s really never been done like that before.’
Performance: The retired New England Patriots player joined the cheerleading squad in a half-time display during the Lakers’ fixture against the Oklahoma City Thunder
Having fun! Venus Williams and James Corden surprised fans on Tuesday by joining the Laker Girls for their halftime performance during the game versus the Oklahoma City Thunder
Guest stars: Venus Williams, Rob Gronkowski, James Corden and Ian Karmel pose for a photo with the Laker Girls after performing during halftime
Gronkowski is teaming up with sponsor Monster Energy with performers including Rick Ross, Flo Rida, DJ Carnage, Kaskade, Diplo and 3LAU.
Patriots fans had held out hope of an on-field comeback after Gronkowski teased the ‘big announcement’ on Saturday night.
Last week he joined red carpet stars including Emilia Clarke and Olivia Wilde at the Golden Globe Ambassador party with his girlfriend Camille Kostek.
The tight end played nine seasons for the Patriots, winning the Super Bowl in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
However, he had been dogged in recent seasons by back, knee, ankle and arm injuries that limited his ability to stay on the field.
The 30-year-old announced his retirement in March this year, saying it was time to ‘move forward with a big smile’.