Michael Strahan participated in a hilarious televised prank involving one of his co-stars.
The 52-year-old is known for joking around on Good Morning America and delivering funny lines and reactions.
Last week, viewers saw and heard Strahan’s sour reaction to football news during an installment of his weekday program.
However, this past weekend, he had fun with cost-ars on Fox NFL Sunday, including Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw.
Unfortunately for Rob Gronkowski, the humorous moment arrived at his expense.
Strahan, usually able to remain focused, had to do his best to keep it together as the prank continued to play out on TV, and fans loved seeing it.
Strahan participates in a live prank on his TV co-star
Most crew members were present during this weekend’s Fox NFL Sunday, including host Kurt Menefee, Strahan, Gronkowski, Long, and Bradshaw. Jimmy Johnson was absent for the hilarious TV prank.
Jay Glazer assisted with the joke on Gronkowski and appeared in additional video footage that revealed it to fans.
“We decided to play a little prank on our buddy Gronk. Everybody at Fox knows this was not real, except for Gronk,” Glazer said.
He explained that they said they were going live with a breaking news report about the Dallas Cowboys signing a “great Pro Bowl tight end.” However, Glazer noted in the IG video that this player, Rich Russo, doesn’t exist.
The prank was that Gronk thought they would be on live TV, and during the segment, he had to give his thoughts about the player.
Strahan’s funny reactions as his TV co-star got ‘Gronk’d’ in fake segment
During the fake Fox segment, they asked Gronk where Russo ranked among the league’s great tight ends.
“He’s been out for a little bit, so I think he might be a little rusty coming back, but I think they’re gonna give him the opportunities, that’s for sure,” Gronk said.
The camera showed Strahan close to losing it as Gronk tried to come up with something to say.
Bradshaw interjected with another fake detail: that this player, named Russo, was the only one in the league missing two fingers on his right hand.
Gronk asked if that might affect his ability to catch the ball. The crew told Gronk that’s what they wanted to know from him.
“I don’t know. I still have all five of my fingers,” he quickly said, as everyone around him couldn’t contain their laughter.
“All five on each hand, Terry,” Gronk shot back after his co-star reminded him he has 10 fingers.
Strahan became hunched over in laughter and had to dry tears out of his eyes during the prank segment.
Eventually, they let Gronk in on the fact that “this was a joke.”
The former Pro Bowl tight end and Super Bowl champion seemed relieved as he admitted having never heard of Russo.
“Right when it was done, I was gonna say, “Guys, I’ve never heard of Russo in my life,'” Gronk said as everyone lost it.
Fans loved the prank and Strahan’s reaction
Many fans enjoyed seeing the TV prank between co-stars and friends on Fox NFL Sunday. Fan reactions poured in on an Instagram post from the NFL on Fox.
“I love it, Gronk pretending he knew who you all were talking about, poor Michael was trying so hard not to laugh,” a commenter said.
“Saw it on Fox today it was hilarious the look on Michael’s face was priceless,” another individual commented.
One commenter said “Michael Strahan” with several crying laughing emojis.
Gronk is the newest addition to the Fox NFL Sunday crew, joining in 2019 when he first retired.
However, he returned from retirement to rejoin his former New England Patriots teammate, quarterback Tom Brady, on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The duo linked up for their fourth Super Bowl win as teammates.
Following his second retirement, which seems finalized, Gronk has appeared as a Fox NFL Sunday analyst since 2022.
The Patriots drafted him in 2010, and Gronk played for 11 seasons in the league, including his first nine with New England. He and Strahan were never opponents, with Strahan retiring in 2008 after his Giants won a Super Bowl over Gronk’s future team.
Both have plenty of insight and knowledge from their playing days and watching games- until it involves analyzing a fictional player on the spot!