Who Is Baby Gronk? Meet The Young Star Going Viral With LSU's Livvy Dunne
From think pieces on Twitter to "get ready with me" videos on TikTok, the social media world has evolved into a massive and uncontrollable sphere full of knowledge, intrigue and social commentary. In addition to the aforementioned content, some have also achieved viral fame for their antics, opinions, or eye-catching talent — and that includes Madden San Miguel, aka "Baby Gronk."
At the start of 2023, the young athlete went viral after he teamed up with a popular influencer and Lousiana State University athlete Olivia Dunne for a brief video on his YouTube channel. "Hey are you that kid from the internet," Dunne says before Baby Gronk reveals he's thinking of playing at LSU. In the wake of his viral video, Baby Gronk's social media presence skyrocketed, resulting in his football and collaborative videos gaining millions of views. Since the football prodigy is showing no signs of slowing down, join us as we take a deep dive into who Baby Gronk is and how he cultivated his popular platform.
Baby Gronk gained a following for his burgeoning football career
Before going viral for his collaborative video with Olivia Dunne, Madden San Miguel, aka Baby Gronk, first curated a large fan base (more than 600,000 followers across all platforms) for his football and comedic content. Across his various posts, the self-proclaimed "football sensation" can be seen attending football camps and participating in prank challenges. In an interview with The Athletic, Baby Gronk's dad, Jake San Miguel, opened up about Baby Gronk's rise to fame and keeping his social media life separate from his real life. "Everything we do for content is on purpose. Everything is planned out. Just being a creator and being an influencer," he told the publication.
While his online personality is strategic, Baby Gronk's father added that his son is, in fact, "really advanced and very good" at sports. "A lot of people don't know this about him, but he is a better baseball player than a football player," he added. In a separate interview with Football Scoop, Jake revealed that his son's online platform has generated revenue, which all goes to his savings. "We've done brand deals with Champ Sports, PSD underwear, we've worked with Michael Vick, we've worked with Wilson football, you name it we've done it," he said. "It's only getting bigger. Everything is monetized for him. Everything's going to him, man. It's savings."
Baby Gronk has his sights set on college football and the NFL
Despite Madden "Baby Gronk" San Miguel's current status as an elementary school student, the social media star has already set his sights on a college football career. Since creating his online platform, the young athlete has documented his journey looking into college football programs. In 2021, he announced his intention to attend the University of Oregon. When opening up to Sports Illustrated about his decision at the time, Baby Gronk said it was partly due to their school colors and his friend LaMichael James, an alum of the school and his former coach. However, since then, the influencer has redacted his commitment and begun exploring other football programs, including LSU and the University of Memphis.
In addition to his college football dreams, Baby Gronk is also gunning for an NFL career. "I want to go to the NFL and be the first draft pick," he told Sports Illustrated. While Baby Gronk has garnered attention from colleges, celebrities and sports commentators, not everyone in the sporting world is a fan of his hyperfocused football goals. In a tweet, Arizona Cardinals player JJ Watt called out Baby Gronk's strict training regimen, writing, "Kids should play multiple sports, and kids should be allowed to be kids." Watt added that kids shouldn't play only one sport or train "'like a pro' until at least HS." Only time will tell if Baby Gronk will be the next college football/NFL sensation.