New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady celebrates his 41st birthday on Friday and Rob Gronkowski has noticed a change as he grown older. Grownkowski remembers when he was coming into the league that Brady would get in his face but he has grown to be a bit softer now as the years have gone on.

“I would say, probably back in the day, he was probably a little more on you if you didn't get it right, a little bit more in your face. But he's going on 41 now, I feel like he backed off on that a little bit, which is nice. He used to be mean to me,” Gronkowski said with a lighthearted delivery after Wednesday's sixth practice of training camp via ESPN. “Now he's not to these young guys anymore.”

Even with the change in attitude toward the younger teammates the passion to win is still the same. Gronkowski said he isn't afraid to get on his teammates if he needs too, but he seems to do it with a bit of a softer tone and in a more lovable way.

Gronkowski has also been amazed by how good he looks on the field for being almost 41 years of age.

“At age 41, there are coaches younger than him on the roster. And he looks younger than the coaches. Just the way he's moving, just [how] reliable he is at times, is just unbelievable and something to look up to.”

Gronkowski and Brady have grown to be quite a combination and expectations are high that they can lead the Patriots back to the promised land again this year.