University of Delaware Athletics
Gino Gradkowski's Next Step After The NFL Meant A Return To Delaware
5/4/2020 11:45:00 AM | Football
In a way, Gino Gradkowski had already been through an NFL Draft process. Six years earlier, he had watched as his brother, quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round after being projected as a mid-round pick.
Gino, an offensive lineman who spent three years as a Delaware Blue Hen after starting his collegiate career at West Virginia, was not a highly regarded prospect at the outset of 2012.
But after visits and workouts with teams, his stock started to rise and just after noon on April 28, 2012, the Baltimore Ravens selected Gradkowski with the third pick of the fourth round.
"It's like winning a championship pretty much, personally," Gradkowski said of getting drafted. "It was awesome. With my whole family and all my friends from the area, it was just a big block party at my house. It was a lot of fun. A great experience, a day I'll never forget."
As a rookie, Gradkowski served as a back-up lineman and played on special teams for the Baltimore squad that won Super Bowl XLVII behind veterans like Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and fellow Blue Hen and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.
"I know from learning from those older guys, and even my brother's experiences, that it's very hard to win a Super Bowl in the league," Gradkowski said. "So to be able to experience that my rookie year was incredible."
While he was one of the elite linemen at the FCS level during his career Blue and Gold, the jump to being an NFL center, essentially the quarterback of the offensive line, required Gradkowski to hone his skills in communication and reading opposing defenses.
"Every team in the league relies on their center to get the offensive line on the same page with protections and run-game assignments, so there's a lot of preparation that goes into it," Gradkowski said. "You have to really keep your eyes up and be ready for whatever the defense is going to throw at you."
The following year in 2013, Gradkowski became the Ravens' starting center, playing 100% of Baltimore's offensive snaps, hiking the ball to his fellow Delaware alumnus Flacco. The Pittsburgh native played in six NFL seasons for five different teams from 2012-18, including the Falcons, Panthers, Jets and Broncos.
While being an NFL journeyman has its challenges, especially logistically moving across the country, Gradkowski is grateful for the experiences he had in professional football, namely pointing to the relationships that he formed.
"Now that I'm able to reflect and look back, I really appreciate my stops in meeting so many wonderful people and getting to experience so many great cities and towns to live in," Gradkowski said. "I think my career, the way it worked out, has prepared me for life after football better than being in one place could have."
After being named a captain for the Panthers in Week 11 of the 2016 season, Gradkowski had to get knee surgery and ended the season on injured reserve. He was back on IR before the 2017 campaign with a left shoulder injury. While he didn't take a snap during the 2017 season, the time off helped him to seriously consider what the next part of his life was going to look like.
Gradkowski made seven appearances for the Broncos in 2018, but with injuries slowing his body down and he and his wife expecting a daughter, it was his last NFL season.
"We were expecting a baby, so that gave me something to look forward to and get excited about and definitely put my priorities in line that life is more than football," Gradkowski said.
His transition into life after football brought him back to Newark as Delaware athletics' Assistant Director for Student Services Leadership.
In his new role, Gradkowski works under Senior Associate AD for Student Services & Leadership Jenn Judy in helping student-athletes prepare for life after their sport, just like the transition he just made.
And just like the relationships that made his career in the NFL so special, he now gets the opportunity to forge relationships with Delaware student-athletes as they prepare for the working world.
"The reason why UD is so important and so special to me is because it was there for me," Gradkowski said. "I transferred to UD from West Virginia after my second year. In that transition and in this transition from football to the working world, Delaware was there for me with an opportunity, welcomed me with open arms and helped me in my adjustments, then and now. That's why it's so important to me to give back any way I can."
Gino, an offensive lineman who spent three years as a Delaware Blue Hen after starting his collegiate career at West Virginia, was not a highly regarded prospect at the outset of 2012.
But after visits and workouts with teams, his stock started to rise and just after noon on April 28, 2012, the Baltimore Ravens selected Gradkowski with the third pick of the fourth round.
"It's like winning a championship pretty much, personally," Gradkowski said of getting drafted. "It was awesome. With my whole family and all my friends from the area, it was just a big block party at my house. It was a lot of fun. A great experience, a day I'll never forget."
As a rookie, Gradkowski served as a back-up lineman and played on special teams for the Baltimore squad that won Super Bowl XLVII behind veterans like Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and fellow Blue Hen and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.
"I know from learning from those older guys, and even my brother's experiences, that it's very hard to win a Super Bowl in the league," Gradkowski said. "So to be able to experience that my rookie year was incredible."
While he was one of the elite linemen at the FCS level during his career Blue and Gold, the jump to being an NFL center, essentially the quarterback of the offensive line, required Gradkowski to hone his skills in communication and reading opposing defenses.
"Every team in the league relies on their center to get the offensive line on the same page with protections and run-game assignments, so there's a lot of preparation that goes into it," Gradkowski said. "You have to really keep your eyes up and be ready for whatever the defense is going to throw at you."
The following year in 2013, Gradkowski became the Ravens' starting center, playing 100% of Baltimore's offensive snaps, hiking the ball to his fellow Delaware alumnus Flacco. The Pittsburgh native played in six NFL seasons for five different teams from 2012-18, including the Falcons, Panthers, Jets and Broncos.
While being an NFL journeyman has its challenges, especially logistically moving across the country, Gradkowski is grateful for the experiences he had in professional football, namely pointing to the relationships that he formed.
"Now that I'm able to reflect and look back, I really appreciate my stops in meeting so many wonderful people and getting to experience so many great cities and towns to live in," Gradkowski said. "I think my career, the way it worked out, has prepared me for life after football better than being in one place could have."
After being named a captain for the Panthers in Week 11 of the 2016 season, Gradkowski had to get knee surgery and ended the season on injured reserve. He was back on IR before the 2017 campaign with a left shoulder injury. While he didn't take a snap during the 2017 season, the time off helped him to seriously consider what the next part of his life was going to look like.
Gradkowski made seven appearances for the Broncos in 2018, but with injuries slowing his body down and he and his wife expecting a daughter, it was his last NFL season.
"We were expecting a baby, so that gave me something to look forward to and get excited about and definitely put my priorities in line that life is more than football," Gradkowski said.
His transition into life after football brought him back to Newark as Delaware athletics' Assistant Director for Student Services Leadership.
In his new role, Gradkowski works under Senior Associate AD for Student Services & Leadership Jenn Judy in helping student-athletes prepare for life after their sport, just like the transition he just made.
And just like the relationships that made his career in the NFL so special, he now gets the opportunity to forge relationships with Delaware student-athletes as they prepare for the working world.
"The reason why UD is so important and so special to me is because it was there for me," Gradkowski said. "I transferred to UD from West Virginia after my second year. In that transition and in this transition from football to the working world, Delaware was there for me with an opportunity, welcomed me with open arms and helped me in my adjustments, then and now. That's why it's so important to me to give back any way I can."
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