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Rob Gronkowski was once an explosive dunker

Whether he plays in the Super Bowl or not, Rob Gronkowski is already the toast of New England, both the team and region. The second-year superstar set an NFL record for most touchdowns by a tight end in a single season, he has broken the Patriot mold by giving interviews with gusto ("Yo soy fiesta?" Muy bien, amigo), his Super Bowl Media Day lockdown session excluded, and had a porn star post model his jersey. He's even inspired a Twisted Sister-knockoff theme song and a fad which has yet to -- but still could -- become the new Tebowing.

Suffice to say, the man knows how to captivate a fan base's attention.

Part of that self-cultivated image is Gronkowski's signature touchdown celebration, where he violently spikes the ball into the turf. However, given the video you see here from the star's dual sports past, it makes one wonder why he didn't go with a goalpost dunk for his post-scoring celebrations.

Yes, Rob Gronkowski can dunk. Evidently, he can also sport a much thicker flat top than he's leading us to believe. His hair might not have the volume to reach Kid N Play levels, but it certainly looks like he pass as Howie Long for Halloween if he really wanted to.

Given this photo, it seems like Gronkowski is certainly willing to experiment with his hairstyle. He never struck Prep Rally as a super-gelled, surfer-inspired bed head before.

Given that this footage comes from Gronkowski's junior year in high school, when he was still competing for Williamville (N.Y.) North High, it's interesting to note how far he's come, though now we all can feel confident that he's had the same explosive vertical lift in his pocket for years.

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