Ring of Honoree Rob Gronkowski will be the captain against Oklahoma State on Saturday, as announced by Arizona on social media. Gronkowski holds the Arizona career records for tight ends with 75 career receptions, 1,197 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in his Arizona career.
Gronkowski also holds the Arizona tight end record for single-game receptions with 12 versus Oregon and single-season record with 47 receptions, both coming in 2008. Gronkowski had 47 receptions for 672 yards and 10 TDs during the 2008 season.
The 10 receiving TDs in 2008 are an Arizona record for a TE and tied with Keith Hartwig in 1976 and Tetairoa McMillan in 2023. Gronkowski was named third-team All-American in 2008 and first-team All-Pac-10. Gronkowski missed his junior season in 2009 after back surgery.
Missing the 2009 season caused Gronkowski to fall to the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2010 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. Gronkowski finished his NFL career 10th among TEs with 621 receptions, sixth with 9,286 receiving yards and third with 92 touchdowns.
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— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) September 30, 2025
Saturday will be the second time Gronkowski will be the honorary captain for an Arizona regular-season game. Gronkowski was previously the honorary captain for a regular-season game in a 27-10 Arizona win over UCLA. The 2023 win was the sixth for Arizona that season and made the Wildcats bowl eligible.
Gronkowski is the perfect captain as Arizona plays its Big XII home opener. Arizona hopes to earn its first 2025 Big XII Conference win after losing 39-14 at Iowa State in its first league game this season on Saturday. Oklahoma State is 1-3 and will be playing its second game under interim head coach Doug Meacham.
Oklahoma State fired head coach Mike Gundy in his 21st season after a 19-12 loss to Tulsa on September 19. Arizona needs three more wins to become bowl-eligible after defeating Hawai'i, Weber State and Kansas State in its three 2025 non-conference games.