Rob Gronkowski Went to College with Ejected Yankees Fan, Congratulates Him 'for Shining When Your Moment Came'

Mar. 15, 2025

From Left: Rob Gronkowski; and Austin Capobianco grabbing Mookie Betts' glove.Photo:Todd Owyoung/Getty; Al Bello/Getty

Todd Owyoung/Getty; Al Bello/Getty

TheYankees fan who was ejectedfrom Game 4 of theWorld Seriesfor grabbing Dodgers starMookie Betts' glove has a surprising connection to the sports world.

“Here’s a little fun fact: that guy right there grabbing Mookie Betts’s glove was my friend in college,” Gronkowski, 35, a graduate of the University of Arizona, said on the show, noting that it was the “first time” he had seen a clip of the viral moment.

According to the former tight end, Capobianco, 38, was a member of the university’s ice hockey team while Gronkowski pursued his football dreams. “And let me tell you, the whole hockey team, they were absolute maniacs,” Gronkowski shared.

Fans interfere with Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers.Al Bello/Getty

Al Bello/Getty

The four-time Super Bowl champ said that the viral moment where Capobianco interfered with the World Series play “represents him very well.”

“He is all in for his teams, he is all in for the Yankees,” added Gronkowski, who recalled the former Arizona hockey player “talking about the Yankees all the time — how he loves them so much.”

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The former NFL star said, “He’s a beauty. I just wanna say congratulations for shining when your moment came.”

The Yankees didn’t feel the same about Capobianco’s actions. On Wednesday, the team released a statement confirming that both Capobianco and John Peter — who grabbed Betts' wrist as his friend attempted to pry the ball out of the Dodgers star’s glove in the first inning — will not be permitted to attend Game 5.

“The Yankees and Major League Baseball maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward the type of behavior displayed last night. These fans will not be permitted to attend tonight’s game in any capacity,” the Yankees said, adding that “the safety and security of players, fans and Stadium staff is the foundational element of every event held at Yankee Stadium, and it cannot be compromised.”

ESPNspoke to Capobiancoat a local bar near the stadium after his ejection, where he told the outlet he has no regrets about interfering with the World Series.

“We always joke about the ball in our area,” Capobianco said. “We’re not going to go out of our way to attack. If it’s in our area, we’re going to ‘D’ up. Someone defends, someone knocks the ball. We talk about it. We’re willing to do this.”

Game 5 of the World Series begins at 8:08 p.m. ET on Oct. 30.

source: people.com