DALLAS — Cowboys tight-end Rich Russo's story - a man overcoming the odds, missing two fingers, yet maintaining a position of prominence within the NFL - is inspiring and provokes a lot of conversation and debate.
It's also a bunch of malarkey, as no such player has ever existed. That's something that Rob Gronkowski learned during his first season as an analyst and commentator for NFL on FOX.
In a clip first broadcast Sunday over the network, but which was recorded during Week 15 of the 2023 season, we see Gronk get punk'd Gronk'd by fellow presenters Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jay Glazer, and Curt Menefee.
Glazer begins the joke by mentioning that "You guys know how big a weapon Rich Russo is" for the Cowboys. With nods of agreement from everyone, Glazer says that Russo has just been activated for play.
Strahan and Long join in, singing Russo's praises, calling him "a game changer." Long then says Russo is nothing compared to Gronk - who is now about to take the bait.
“Gronk, where do you list Russo among the tight ends?"
Gronkowski then spends a few moments eking out a reply, trying to maintain a façade that he actually knows who this player is. "He might be a little rusty coming back," he says, "But they've got [Jake] Ferguson as well - they'll be a 1-2 combo!"
Strahan struggles to maintain his composure, while Glazer continues to bait Gronk. "You've gotta admit with Russo coming back, it changes their offense."
It was then that Bradshaw comes in from left field with mention that Russo is missing two digits on his right hand. "That's why he's been out, and he's back now," Bradshaw offered.
"Is that gonna affect him when he's catching a pass?" asks Gronk. "I don't know - I still have all five of my fingers!"
Amid crew in the studio beginning to laugh, Gronkowski is patiently reminded that he in fact has ten fingers in all.
Then, in the style of "All-Star Bloopers and Practical Jokes," Gronk is then let in on the caper. "This is a joke," says Menefee. "Rich Russo doesn't play for the Dallas Cowboys."
"I was wondering!" Gronk exclaims, claiming that he was close to admitting he didn't know who Russo was.
After airing the segment, Gronkowski said that he learned two things from the escapade - "That I am a funny guy" and "that I am always ready."