Rob Gronkowski returns to Woodland Hills to break in new fitness center

Rob Gronkowski remembers contending with rust on the bar when doing clean lifts 15 years ago at Woodland Hills High School.

“It was dirty in here,” Gronkowski told a crowd of excited Woodland Hills student athletes Tuesday as he helped open the school’s renovated fitness center.

Gronk, as the now-35-year-old NFL retiree is affectionately known, played his senior year with the Wolverines and graduated in 2007 before playing college football at the University of Arizona.

He helped the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls. He capped his career by reuniting with quarterback Tom Brady in Tampa Bay and leading them to a Super Bowl win.

More of @RobGronkowski at @WoodyHigh right now. pic.twitter.com/l9VdbFbnFx

— Tom Davidson (@TribDavidson) April 8, 2025

Gronkowski returned to Churchill and the Woodland Hills campus where more than $400,000 in upgrades to the school’s fitness center were unveiled.

Many of the students who filled the brightly lit room filled with new weights and other conditioning equipment wore “Team Gronk” shirts as they welcomed Gronkowski back to the school. He spent time talking to them, watching them use the equipment and posing for plenty of photos.

“It’s just cool to help out,” he said.

When he first walked through the halls of the school for his senior year he weighed about 240 pounds. After spending enough time in the weight room to develop memories of rust that stained his palms during workouts, Gronkowski was near his NFL playing weight of 265 when he graduated, he told the students.

“It was time for a new weight room,” he said.

Gronkowski encouraged the students to use the fitness center and its equipment as a platform to further their athletic careers.

It means a lot to him to give back to the places, including the Pittsburgh area, New England and Arizona, where he’s played the game.

He teamed up with another stalwart of the region, U.S. Steel, to pay for the equipment, which is mainly from Gronk Fitness, the company his father Gordon Gronkowski runs.

U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thompson works is in Braddock, also in the school district.

Scott Buckiso, a senior vice president for U.S. Steel, said the company’s contribution reflects in commitment to the region.

“I hope U.S. Steel is able to do things like this for years to come,” Bukiso said.

Woodland Hills athletic director Ty Brown said the project took about nine months to complete.

“It’s unbelievable for our district, our community,” said Brown.

The improved fitness center is better than ones at most other high schools in the region, Brown said.

“Our kids deserve it,” he said.