Rob Gronkowski spent Election Day morning in Bedford, New Hampshire, meeting voters, signing hats and jerseys and taking photos with anyone who walked up. His girlfriend Camille Kostek was with him. Then the pictures and videos started circulating. Some of the clips caught Gronkowski, who is now thirty-seven years old, near a tent displaying the Turning Point USA logo. The videos made it onto X quickly, shared by a number of right-leaning accounts, and the association between the former New England Patriots tight end and the Charlie Kirk-founded group had already taken hold online.(The characterization of those accounts as “right-leaning” reflects how they were described across news reports at the time, not an editorial position from the publication.)A spokesperson for Turning Point USA later confirmed that Gronkowski was not with their group and had simply passed through the area. A separate video also caught him waving an American flag and calling on people to cast their ballots.Gronkowski responded on Thursday, posting a statement to his Instagram account that addressed the circulating footage directly. “In regard to the images and videos circulating we are not endorsed by or affiliated with Turning Point USA,” he shared.He had already addressed his reason for being in New Hampshire on Tuesday, before the Instagram statement went up. As per WBTS-CD, the four-time Super Bowl champion had spoken to the NBC affiliate station that same day, telling the station,“It doesn’t matter what party you’re voting for. It’s just important that you go out there and vote and that’s what it’s all about.”Rob Gronkowski addresses the reaction to his New Hampshire visit:Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek attend the 41st Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown on October 05, 2026 in New York City - Source: GettyThe scale of Gronkowski’s presence at the Bedford polling location was not lost on local authorities. Bedford police issued a public advisory on Tuesday morning, flagging “heavy traffic” at the polls during the time he was there. The advisory read,“If you plan on voting today or are traveling in the area, please give yourself extra time. Rob Gronkowski is no longer at the High School. He is not expected to return.”His appearance also drew some high-profile company. Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte shared a photo alongside Gronkowski and Kostek on social media, taken at the Bedford polling location. In Goffstown, a Republican state representative candidate also noted that Gronkowski had put his name on one of his campaign placards during the visit.(The political affiliations of Ayotte and the state representative candidate are noted here as context from reporting at the time. The publication does not take a position on the candidates or their campaigns.)Source: https://www.instagram.com/gronkRob Gronkowski addressed the full picture in his Thursday Instagram statement, noting that he and Kostek had paid a visit to a local high school before making their way across to interact with fans. He clarified that the photos taken included voters from all political backgrounds. For him, what followed was something he had not seen coming.“It has been upsetting and eye opening to see the narratives around my visit to NH on Election Day with Camille,” he shared.His statement did not stop there. Rob Gronkowski pushed back on the idea that the visit had carried any political meaning, taking issue with the way the footage had been framed. He concluded the post by writing,“It’s disappointing to see an innocent moment stripped of context and turned into clickbait. Our message has always been and always will be to treat everyone with kindness and hope you all will do the same.”Rob Gronkowski teams up with Julian Edelman for new Fox Sports digital series:(L-R) Julian Edelman, Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube and Rob Gronkowski attend YouTube Brandcast 2025 at David Geffen Hall on May 14, 2025 in New York City - Source: GettyRob Gronkowski's headlines haven’t been limited to his Turning Point USA denial. The former NFL star also grabbed attention alongside Julian Edelman, as the pair launched The Gronk & Jules Show, a twice-weekly digital series on Fox Sports produced by Shadow Lion. Before settling into their NFL on-air duties, the two found time to record a musical promo for the show, titled “Talkin’ Football,” with neither man touching a singing lesson beforehand.“Me and Gronk have been keeping our singing talent a secret for so many years, so getting a real chance to showcase that and doing it about a topic we love so much was really just a lot of fun,” Edelman shared.Bill Battin, senior VP of on-air promotions for Fox Sports, added that the finished product reflected exactly who the two men are.“Gronk and Jules made the song their own, bringing their personalities to a great concept from Clay and the team at The San Clemente Experiment,” he shared.The video, directed by Clay Weiner, debuted November fifth across Fox Sports digital and social platforms. The series itself covers game breakdowns every Monday and player interviews every Thursday, and is available on Tubi, Fox One, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.