Rob Gronkowski will soon be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame after a stellar nine-year career. He has already cemented his place among the greatest tight ends to ever play the game and is expected to be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer in Canton.

However, things could have gone very differently before he ever took an NFL snap. Brian Ferentz, who coached Gronkowski during his first two seasons in New England, still remembers watching the tight end celebrate his selection in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft and wondering how long he would last with the Patriots.

Brian Ferentz Thought Rob Gronkowski Would Struggle To Fit in New England

After being selected 42nd overall, Gronkowski proudly put on his Patriots helmet and went wild on stage, screaming, jumping, and celebrating alongside his family as if they were getting ready for kickoff. It was quite a scene, but Ferentz wasn’t exactly convinced the new addition would fit into Bill Belichick’s culture.

“We were a pretty buttoned-up organization, and my man was not buttoned up,”Ferentz told FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna. “I remember watching that being like, ‘Oh my God, like this guy cannot make it here. He will not make it here.’”

Ferentz wasn’t the only one skeptical. Inside the Patriots’ war room, Belichick watched the celebration unfold and looked toward college scout Jon Robinson, who had championed Gronkowski throughout the draft process. Robinson remembered the look as if Belichick were thinking, “Why the hell did I listen to you?”

In footage later featured in “The Dynasty,” Belichick reacted to Gronkowski’s on-stage antics by saying, “Lord have mercy on us.”

The Patriots even called Gronkowski just five minutes after he was selected, telling him to calm down and get off the stage.

That celebration was only part of what made Gronkowski such an unpredictable prospect. During his pre-draft visit to Gillette Stadium, Ferentz recalled finding him lounging on a table in a suit and Doc Martens.

Things didn’t get much better when the Patriots staff asked the future NFL star to recreate a play they had just erased from the board. Gronkowski couldn’t do it.

Still, New England saw enough potential to take a chance on the Arizona product, and Ferentz soon got to see a very different side of the rookie. He worked as an offensive assistant during Gronkowski’s first season in 2010 before becoming the Patriots’ tight ends coach in 2011. By then, Gronkowski was already showing why the team had taken a chance on him.

Former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien recalled testing the rookie on New England’s empty formations early in minicamp, asking him to line up at both tight end spots. Gronkowski got every formation right, all while keeping his trademark smile.

Looking back, Ferentz couldn’t help but admit just how badly he had misjudged the young tight end.

“I gotta tell you, though, I couldn’t be more wrong,” Ferentz said.

Gronkowski Made His Mark Before His Second Season Was Over

Gronkowski caught 10 touchdown passes as a rookie, but he took things to another level in 2011. He hauled in 90 passes for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns, setting an NFL single-season record for tight ends that still stands.

McKenna’s account also offered a glimpse into the work that went into Gronkowski’s rapid development. Brady often kept him after practice to work against linebacker Gary Guyton, giving the young tight end extra reps to learn the offense and sharpen his game against a defender.

At times, the coaches even had to step in and call it a day.

Gronkowski went on to win three Super Bowls during his nine seasons in New England before adding another alongside Brady in Tampa Bay. He finished his Patriots career with 80 regular-season touchdowns, 79 receiving and one rushing, the most in franchise history.

Now, the Patriots are set to induct Gronkowski into their Hall of Fame on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Patriot Place Plaza. The ceremony will take place on a weekend that also marksBrady’s first game calling a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium.