8 questions with 'Madden NFL 17' cover boy Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski isn't a celebrity NFL player so much as he is a state of mind. A lifestyle. An ethos. A way of moving through the world one fist-pump at a time. 

He's the best tight end in the league. He's also the only NFL player who could market an off-season boat voyage called Gronk's Party Ship -- then have that cruise become a sports world sensation. He's even a Super Bowl Champion. 

Now Gronkowski can add another line to to his ever-growing resume: Madden NFL 17 cover boy. 

EA Sports announced Gronkowski as its latest Madden cover athlete Thursday during a segment on ESPN. But a Madden cover is more than just another marketing gig. The game is a cultural touchstone in sports; you don't land on its cover without being a major gravitational force in the sporting universe. 

He's also the first tight end and the first player from the four-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots to be on the cover of a Madden edition. 

Gronkowski laying down an emphatic post-touchdown spike on this year's game is as much a badge of honor as it is a source of income -- even if the game doesn't actually hit shelves until Aug. 23.

About an hour after Gronkowski's Madden NFL 17 cover reveal, the Patriots star called Mashable for a quick chat. We talked video games, the Running Man Challenge and -- of course -- Gronk's Party Ship. Check it out below. 

Mashable: Was there a lot of Madden playing in the Gronkowski household growing up?  

Gronkowski: We played a little bit, for sure. My brother Chris was always the best. Whenever he picks up video games, he's super good. He's a fanatic. He's just good at everything -- every video game. 

Did you have a go-to play when you'd match up against him? 

It was a deep pass every single time. A deep pass every single time -- that was the play. 

You recently joined Instagram. Then you and your brothers put out a Running Man Challenge video. It's the funniest meme in sports. But I gotta say, the Gronk bros' dancing did leave plenty to be desired. How would you rate it? 

[Laughs] Yes, I will say you are totally correct on that. The dance moves, I'd give probably a five out of 10. But I'd say the spirit was about a nine out of 10, and the creativity was about a nine out of 10. 

So overall, it's about a seven or an eight. But I think what makes it is our terrible dancing. 

Fair enough. Are there any other Running Man Challenges out there that you look to for inspiration? 

I don't know who they all are, but some were ON POINT with their dance moves!

OK. Now a very important question: Will there be another Gronk party cruise next off-season? 

No. There won't be. It was just a one-time go. We just went out with a bang with it. 

What? Why not?

I just know they don't want us back. I know that. 

Your baby brother Glenn just signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills as an un-drafted rookie free agent. What's the advice you'd give him -- or any other rookie -- trying to catch on with a team? 

Just listen to your coaches. Just keep working hard. Stay humble. Stay hungry. Keep on grinding. It's what you make of it -- everybody's going to get the same opportunity to impress. 

People like to talk about the Madden curse, but other players have had fantastic seasons after being on the cover. Now here you are -- on the cover. What do you predict comes next for you? 

It's the present now, and this is the future of the cover. The last few years, cover guys have been having Pro Bowl years, having unbelievable seasons. So I'm gonna keep that rolling.