Gronkowski named Madden 17 cover athlete
It's been a good day for Rob Gronkowski.
His cover of GQ Magazine with swimsuit model Hailey Clauson was released Thursday morning and in the evening, it was announced on ESPN's "SportsCenter" that the New England Patriots tight end will be the Madden 17 cover athlete.
GRONK. SPIKE.
— EA SPORTS Madden NFL (@EAMaddenNFL) May 12, 2016
Introducing the cover of #Madden17! pic.twitter.com/iCZUwIAuYO
Gronk had the second-most total yards of his career in 2015 leading all tight ends with 72 catches for 1,176 yards and 11 touchdowns. He led his team in all receiving categories, helping New England to a 12-4 record and a seventh-straight division title.
Gronkowski finished second in fan voting last season, losing out to New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. following his spectacular rookie season highlighted by a one-handed catch that was featured on the cover. EA Sports elected not to run a fan vote this season.
The 26-year-old All-Pro will be the first member of the Patriots' organization to appear on the front of the popular EA Sports video game, but Gronkowski did star in the Madden 16 commercial released last August. He also starred in this year's trailer alongside his ultra-realistic virtual self.
The announcement is somewhat surprising considering Carolina Panthers' quarterback and 2016 NFL MVP Cam Newton has been a heavy fan favorite in past seasons, but missed the cut in favor of players like Beckham Jr., Richard Sherman, and Adrian Peterson.
The game will be available first on Xbox One with "EA Access" in August and will feature an expanded franchise mode.