We asked AI if Rob Gronkowski is better than Travis Kelce & it had the perfect answer
Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce are two of the best tight ends ever. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is already part of the conversation, even though he still has plenty of gas left in his tank. These two iconic players also hold several records in their position.
However, Google Bard, a conversational generative artificial intelligence chatbot, gave its take on who’s the better player between the two future Hall of Famers.
But the Google AI-developed platform gave a safe answer by saying:
“1. It is difficult to say definitively who is the better player, as they have different strengths and weaknesses. Gronkowski is a better blocker, while Kelce is a better receiver. Gronkowski is also more physical, while Kelce is more agile.”
“2. Ultimately, the best player between Gronkowski and Kelce is the one who best fits your team's needs. If you need a tight end who can block and catch, then Gronkowski is the better choice. If you need a tight end who can stretch the field and make big plays, then Kelce is the better choice.”
Who do we think is the better tight end between Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce
While Google Bard did not give a definitive response, it does allude to how to settle the debate. The New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used Rob Gronkowski more as a blocking tight end. He does have receptions from Tom Brady and proves to be challenging to bring down once he takes off with the ball.
Pro Football Focus revealed the percentage of their position alignment at that point. Unsurprisingly, Gronkowski was an in-line tight end in 60 percent of the offensive snaps. Conversely, Travis Kelce lined up next to the offensive line only 46.6 percent of the time.
But while Gronkowski mainly serves as an extra blocker, he doesn’t have a shortage of receptions and touchdowns. New England and Tampa Bay leveraged his blocking prowess by faking opponents with their formation. What looked like a run play turned into a completion between Brady and Gronkowski.
As a result, he holds the record for most receiving touchdowns in a season by a tight end, with 17 in 2011. He also has 15 postseason touchdowns, the most for a quarterback-receiver tandem. Gronkowski also had four 1,000-yard seasons and 107 career touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Travis Kelce is like a wide receiver disguised as a tight end. No wonder he is more heavily involved in route running during passing plays. There’s always a mystery about how Kelce gets open, even if the entire stadium knows Patrick Mahomes will throw the ball to him. He does take advantage of the defense’s soft spots to rack up yardage.
Kelce (11,892) already has more receiving yards than Gronkowski (10,675). He is also under contract until 2025, allowing him to pad his numbers.
Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski helped their teams succeed
Their excellence led to individual recognition. Gronkowski was a four-time First Team All-Pro member and a five-time Pro Bowler. Meanwhile, Travis Kelce has seven All-Pro selections (four First Team) and eight Pro Bowls.
But Rob Gronkowski has an edge in Super Bowl titles, 4-2. One of those victories (Super Bowl LV) even came against Kelce and the Chiefs. It’s a subtle edge he has in terms of bragging rights. However, Kelce has a chance to obliterate tight-end records once he’s done playing.
While there’s merit in arguing for Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce, the difference in their playing styles shows how the tight end position has constantly evolved.
Therefore, it’s best to rest the case with that Gronkowski said to NBC Sports’ Phil Perry during his Super Bowl LVII media availability.
"I mean, he's got -- he's been having a great career. It's very hard to debate that. It is a debate, for sure. He's having a heck of a career. I respect his game like no other, but I'm not here to say whose career was at the top. I'll just let you guys do that."