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Watch as Rob Gronkowski sings the national anthem at the start of the LA Bowl

ayrton ostly, usa today
·2 min read
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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: A detailed view of the neck chain worn by Rob Gronkowski prior to the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Boise State Broncos during the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk at SoFi Stadium. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: A detailed view of the neck chain worn by Rob Gronkowski prior to the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Boise State Broncos during the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk at SoFi Stadium. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

College football bowl season kicked off with a full slate of games Saturday. One of the newer bowls of the day, the LA Bowl, features the UCLA Bruins taking on the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Former NFL All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski took over as host of the game for 2023. The FOX football analyst previously was a guest host for New Year's Eve in Times Square and signed a multi-year deal to host the game. The former Patriot and Buccaneer takes over for late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the game in 2021 and 2022.

As part of his hosting duties, Gronkowski announced he'd be singing the national anthem at the LA Bowl. And before Saturday's 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, Gronkowski didn't disappoint.

Fans took notice of Gronkowski's anthem appearance on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Who did Gronk sing the anthem with?

Gronk appeared on Season 3 of The Masked Singer during his first retirement. His dance moves inspired confidence during his playing career but that episode revealed his vocals aren't the caliber of a typical national anthem singer.

Luckily, he had good backup Saturday evening. The New Directions Veterans Choir sang with him to help. The choir first gained notoriety from NBC's "America's Got Talent" and is comprised primarily of United States Military veterans.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: Rob Gronkowski looks on prior to the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Boise State Broncos during the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk at SoFi Stadium on December 16, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 16: Rob Gronkowski looks on prior to the game between the UCLA Bruins and the Boise State Broncos during the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk at SoFi Stadium on December 16, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

Bowl game names: LA Bowl put Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Kimmel in its name but didn't charge for it. Here's why.

What else is happening at the LA Bowl?

Besides a matchup between the local Bruins and the Mountain West Conference champion Broncos, there is a Gronk-related promotion at the game. A signature drink - the Gronk Cooler - is available to spectators at SoFi Stadium. His family's business Gronk Fitness and Ice Shaker partnered with the game for promotional exposure as well.

The LA Bowl is the penultimate bowl game of Saturday's action. You can follow the action here and the Independence Bowl rounds out Saturday's action with kickoff at 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch Rob Gronkowski sing the national anthem ahead of the LA Bowl