NFL players have a long history on Dancing With the Stars – and two-time Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola is looking to add to it.
Ahead of the season 33 premiere of DWTS, Amendola, 38, spoke to Us Weekly exclusively about the opportunity to compete — and the advice he got from one of his most outspoken ex New England Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski.
“Gronk hit me with a message this morning and he was so amped up, so juiced, I know he’ll be excited,” Amendola told Us. “He said, ‘Just bring the energy man.’ I’ll be channeling my inner Gronk.”
On the field, Gronkowski, 35, was a Hall of Fame caliber tight end. Off it, he’s become known for his larger-than-life personality that has transcended sports to the point that even non-sports fans know him simply as Gronk.
In and out of game action, it’s not uncommon to see Gronk dancing, making him the perfect candidate to share encouraging words with a future DWTS contestant.
Amendola, for his part, is excited for the opportunity to hit the ballroom floor. He’s spent his career in football, going from a player to an assistant coach with the Las Vegas Raiders. His one foray into competitive reality TV came in 2023 when he appeared on Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, where he made it to the season 1 finale. This will be his first attempt at dancing, and he’ll do it with pro Witney Carson as a partner.
“Pressure’s a privilege,” Amendola said. “Honestly, I’m excited to step out of my comfort zone. I get to work with the best. I’ve been watching [Carson] dance for years and to see her do her thing is — I’m in awe every time.”
This will be Carson’s 14th season of Dancing With the Stars and her second time working with a football player. She competed with linebacker Von Miller in season 22, when the pair placed seventh. Her one win came alongside Alfonso Ribeiro in season 19.
“I was stoked,” Carson said of her first impression of Amendola. “I have not had an NFL player for a really long time, so I was really excited to get Danny. My husband, my brothers, they’re super stoked about it. I just know the history with wide receivers on the show, two of them have won, so I was extremely excited.”
Amendola will look to join Donald Driver (season 14) and Hines Ward (season 12) as former wide receivers to win their seasons.
Dancing With the Stars season 33 premieres on ABC Tuesday September 17 at 8 p.m. ET. Episodes will air live simultaneously on ABC and Disney+ and are available the next day on Hulu.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
