Patriots fan Matt Damon loved Gronk's 'showstopping' 'Instigators' cameo

Spoiler alert! We're discussing specifics of Gronk's fun cameo in "The Instigators" (streaming now on Apple TV+). Stop reading now if you haven't seen it yet and don't want to know.

Leave it to two diehard Bostonians − Matt Damon and Casey Affleck − to draft a New England Patriots legend for the big screen.

Rob Gronkowski, 35, better known as Gronk, has a fleeting but memorable role in "The Instigators," the new comedy caper co-written by Affleck. His appearance comes thanks to a cold call from a producer on the film.

Damon and Affleck, who were enthusiastic about the cameo, star as desperate, lovable thieves whose mental health is a deep concern for their indefatigable therapist, played by Hong Chau ("The Whale").

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Gronk's imposing bulk (he's 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 265 pounds) and clean-cut demeanor (scrubbed face, crewcut hair) inform his performance.

The retired football star plays an aide to a corrupt Boston mayor (Ron Perlman), who after rigging repeated elections has suddenly been beaten by a brash young challenger. The mayor is frantically trying to break into a safe that harbors his elicit gains before the cops arrive, with Gronk's character acting as his staller-in-chief.

In front of an increasingly shrinking crowd gathered for a victory celebration gone bust, Gronk stands at a lectern before a few gathered guests, screaming reassurances that the mayor will be back shortly.

"As a booster for a corrupt mayor, I can't think of anyone better," says Damon. "He was great, and just so positive. Movie crews are not impressed usually, but someone like that walks on the set and it was a showstopping moment."

Gronkowski played in the NFL for 11 years, mostly with the Patriots, where he helped Tom Brady and the rest of the team win three Super Bowls. He also won the big game once with his final team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for a total of four gleaming rings.

The tight end was best known for being an elite-level blocker and receiver, a rare double threat. He holds the record for the most combined receptions (23) and yards gained (297) in Super Bowl history.

Online scuttle suggested that Gronk wished his quick appearance had run longer, but Affleck disputed that notion in a Sirius XM Town Hall with Andy Cohen, saying: “All that says to me is that he had a really good time and that he liked the movie and he wished he was in it more. ... I wish I was in the NFL more, you know what I mean? But I’m not.”

Affleck told USA TODAY: "Gronk did in our movie what he has done for years for the Patriots on the field, which is show up and be told what to do and kill it. He ran his play, he executed."