Rob Gronkowski expresses his discomfort with the 'awkward' Baby Gronk situation

Rob Gronkowski expresses discomfort over promotion of 10-year-old "Baby Gronk".

Former All-Pro NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski has voiced his disapproval of the social media promotion surrounding 10-year-old Madden San Miguel, also known as "Baby Gronk." Gronkowski made his comments during an appearance on a podcast hosted by Will Compton and Taylor Lewan at Tight End University in Nashville.

During the podcast, Lewan asked Gronkowski about Baby Gronk, to which Gronkowski revealed that one of his brothers had mentioned the child to him a few weeks ago. Gronkowski then went on to explain that the San Miguel family had been incessantly contacted by the child's father, Juan San Miguel.

"My brother told me - I was like 'Yo, did you see Baby Gronk yet?' He goes, 'Did I see him? His dad f--kin' hit me up 500 times already,'" Gronkowski said. "He goes 'Don't do anything with him. The dad is so annoying.'... It's to the point where it's awkward. It's too far."

Lewan and Compton suggested that Gronkowski is the only one who can put an end to the promotion of Baby Gronk, prompting Gronkowski to joke about issuing a Cease and Desist order against the child's father.

Madden San Miguel, a remarkably large elementary schooler, has gained over 327,000 followers on Instagram and has been touted as the next great football prospect. However, concerns have been raised about the exploitation of children for the sake of internet fame, particularly with regards to the grandiose promotion orchestrated by his father.

Some have drawn comparisons between the "Baby Gronk" phenomenon and the troubled life of former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich, who faced significant drug-related issues as an adult after being intensely trained by his father to become a professional athlete. Others, including former NFL player Chris Long, have expressed strong reservations about the potential long-term effects of San Miguel's father's actions on the child.

"I have no problem with profiting off the internet, this is what we're all doing. But the difference is we're not using a 10-year-old kid to do it," Long said on his podcast. "You gotta be concerned about the toll this is gonna take on Baby Gronk when he's older."