Gronk, Brady
 

Rob Gronkowski played his last game of 2016 on Nov. 27, getting surgery the following week to repair a herniated disk. He was placed on injured reserve with just 25 receptions for 540 receiving yards and three touchdowns on the season -- all career lows.

But Gronk turned into one of the Patriots' biggest cheerleaders in the postseason. He even sung with Bon Jovi during the AFC Championship Game to pump up the Gillette Stadium crowd.

In Houston, the four-time first-team All-Pro tight end made his presence felt throughout Super Bowl week:

Gronk made a cameo on the newest "Clueless Gamer" segment on Conan, along with Tom Brady, Dwight Freeney, Marshawn Lynch and LeGarrette Blount.

He worked with Boston Children's Hospital to send two fans to Houston.


Gronk, who claims he has not spent a dime of his NFL salary, living off only endorsement money, was all over Super Bowl commercials.

He released an Oberto spot with Richard Sherman:


He played up the new Baywatch film with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.


He told TD Ameritrade he speaks two languages.


He ripped Jeffrey Tambor's clothes for Tide.


And he was in a T-Mobile commercial with Justin Bieber and Terrell Owens.


Unlike the AFC Championship Game, when he sat in a luxury suite, Gronk watched the Super Bowl from the sidelines, wearing a Patriots quarter-zip. For a while, it was looking like the Patriots could have really used Gronk on the field. After all, New England was down 28-3 with 8:31 left in the third quarter.




The Patriots' fate turned and they ended the game with 31 unanswered points, winning the first-ever overtime Super Bowl, 34-28. The championship put Gronk right in his element: celebrating.

He tweeted from the field.


He lauded Tom Brady.




Best ever no questions asked! # 2 for me and # 5 for that guy!!

A photo posted by Rob Gronkowski (@gronk) on

He posed with anyone he could find.




My brother @glenn_gronkowski and I super bowl champs together!!

A photo posted by Rob Gronkowski (@gronk) on

Apparently, Gronkowski even disguised himself as Devin McCourty for a press conference.


Gronk managed to fit in a sponsorship plug for Oberto in the Patriots' locker room.


Somehow, there are no known social media videos of Gronk partying Sunday night. Either his back (and lack of productivity in the postseason) stopped him from raging or no one took out their phones after him. If it's the latter, that's a crime.

Too bad there's no Gronk Cruise this year.

-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.