Rob Gronkowski isn't joking around this time. He has his Tampa Bay Buccaneers playbook and said it arrived after last week's trade from the New England Patriots.
That's according to a social media post Wednesday from the star tight end, who went on Twitter to clarify that a comment he made over the weekend suggesting that he had received the playbook before the trade was in jest.
"This is seriously a story?" Gronkowski wrote. "LOL."
On Saturday night, Gronkowski was part of a Bud Light-sponsored draft after-party, during which one of the guests, ESPN's Sage Steele, spoke about how Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall selection by the Bengals, had been working with Cincinnati's playbook weeks before the team officially made its selection.
Gronkowski then jumped in and said, "I was in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' playbook four weeks ago, and I wasn't even on the team."
That comment took on a life of its own when some outlets questioned if Gronkowski was telling the truth and, if so, whether it violated league rules. The Pats-Bucs trade wasn't official until April 21.
But Gronkowski said Wednesday that he received his team-issued Microsoft Surface tablet earlier in the day, and he posted a picture of himself holding it.
Never one to stay serious for too long, Gronkowski then followed with a joke.
"It's still in the package and hoping it is all pictures and drawings," he wrote. "I'm pumped to open it one day hopefully soon and follow the arrows to learn where to run to. Gronk run Gronk catch ball. No playbook needed. Hehe."