Retired Super Bowl winner Rob Gronkowski has issued a strong denial of any affiliation with Turning Point USA, following his appearance at the conservative organization's tent on Election Day in New Hampshire. Gronkowski and his partner, Camille Kostek, were photographed and filmed at the group's tent in Goffstown.
Video shared by Tyler Bowyer, of Turning Point Action, showed Gronkowski signing autographs and posing for pictures. Bowyer captioned the post, "Rob Gronkowski sightings at New Hampshire polling places! TIME TO GO VOTE." This led to widespread claims on social media that Gronkowski was actively supporting the organization.
Gronkowski addressed the situation via an Instagram post, stating, "It has been upsetting and eye opening to see the narratives around my visit to NH on Election Day with Camille. In regard to the images and videos circulating we are not endorsed by or affiliated with Turning Point USA."
He explained that after visiting Goffstown High School, they crossed the street to greet fans who were calling out their names. "We simply took some pictures and I signed some things for them before leaving," Gronkowski said, emphasizing that they took photos with people "across the political spectrum" throughout the morning.
"We cannot control what the media has made of it and running with - so we are here to shut down the false narratives," he continued. "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."
Confusion may have also arisen from a clip of Gronkowski waving an American flag near road signs for Republican candidate Anthony DiLorenzo. However, Gronkowski told local media WHDH on Tuesday, "It's just great to see how many people are coming out here to vote. It doesn't matter what party you are voting for — it just matters that you are voting."
Gronkowski, a former player for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, typically uses his social media to promote his various professional endeavors, including his work with Fox Sports and his podcast with former teammate Julian Edelman.