New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski Catches 3 TDs for 2nd Time in Career

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski came up huge in Sunday's 51-24 win over the Chicago Bears, recording three touchdown receptions in a game for the second time in his career, per ESPN Stats & Info.

He finished the game with nine catches for 149 yards and the three touchdowns, posting season-best marks by a comfortable margin in each of the three major receiving categories.

Though he scored 28 touchdowns over 27 games between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, New England's star tight end previously had just one outing with three touchdowns, which came against the Pittsburgh Steelers in November of his 2010 rookie campaign.

However, he's had plenty of two-score performances along the way, as his 13 career multiple-touchdown games are the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2010, edging out the 12 compiled by Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Despite missing 14 games between the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Gronkowski has an NFL-best 49 receiving touchdowns since the beginning of 2010, putting him two ahead of Johnson's 47, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Still only 25 years old, Gronkowski has caught 48 of his 49 career touchdown passes from Tom Brady, making them the most prolific quarterback-receiver duo in terms of touchdowns in team history, per Stats LLC.

With his next touchdown catch, which will mark No. 50 of his career, Gronkowski will tie Randy Moss and fellow tight end Ben Coates for second place on the Patriots' all-time list. Stanley Morgan's 69 receiving touchdowns set the franchise standard—or at least they will for one more year.