A Swindon American football club got an unexpected shoutout during the Super Bowl from a legendary NFL player.

New England Patriots icon and four-time Super Bowl winner Rob Gronkowski surprised Swindon Storm by announcing during Sunday night’s broadcast that they are the first of 200 clubs across the UK and Ireland to receive a share of a £400,000 Cash4Clubs grant.

Members of the amateur team had gathered at sports bar Route 66 in Old Town to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles when the live broadcast suddenly dropped and one of the biggest stars in American football delivered the good news.

‘Gronk’ appeared on screen and said: “Hi Swindon! Rob Gronkowski here. Sorry to interrupt your Super Bowl Sunday, but I have a special message for everyone at Swindon Storm watching from Route 66 tonight.

"One of your coaches, Andy Wilson, applied for a Cash4Clubs grant funded by Flutter. They heard about all the great work you guys are doing to grow American football in the UK and keep adults involved in sport.

"So here I am, on the biggest screen in Swindon, to tell you that your club is the first of 200 clubs across the UK and Ireland to be awarded a Cash4Clubs grant this year.

"Best of luck in the BAFA league. And remember: You are the Storm! Enjoy the big game tonight."

Swindon Storm is made up of American Football enthusiasts who founded the team in 2009 and compete in the BAFA Division 2, SFC West.

Rob Gronkowski’s outings as a tight end occurred at Gillette Stadium which has a seated capacity for 64, 628 fans and 82 luxury suites, while Swindon Storm tight ends Alfie Simpkins, Josh Gill, and Angela Bartram gather on Sunday mornings at Southbrook Playing Fields.

Club coach Andy Wilson said the “transformational” grant would go towards all-important pads and protective gear for new joiners.

He said: "The team was floored when Gronk appeared onscreen. The whole place went crazy!

"We are so grateful to Flutter and Sported for this grant, but having Gronk deliver the news during the Super Bowl was just incredible.

"We’re so grateful to Route 66 for hosting us and making it a night to remember.

"In the simplest terms, this grant means that if new people want to give American football a go, they can without the added financial pressure of needing to buy the equipment needed to play the sport.

"This funding could be transformational for our club and our membership, not to mention the lives of the new members we hope to welcome as a result.”

The Cash4Clubs programme is funded by betting and gaming group Flutter UKI and supports grassroots clubs with the aim of keeping adults engaged with sport.

Founded almost 20 years ago, the initiative has seen the parent company of Betfair, Sky Bet, tombola, PokerStars, and Paddy Power invest nearly £6.5 million into grassroots clubs.

Each year, the programme awards 200 grants worth £2,000, with a focus on supporting clubs in deprived areas.

Flutter UKI will be announcing the remaining 199 awards in the 2024-2025 Cash4Clubs scheme at the end of the month.

A spokesperson said: “We all know the power of sports and we genuinely believe Cash4Clubs can help small clubs play an even bigger role in their community.

“It was great to have ‘Gronk’ deliver the news of this year’s first award to the Swindon Storm – and we hope they can replicate his success on the playing field!”