Rob Gronkowski has decided on his NFL career. On Tuesday, the former England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end announced that he’s retiring from the NFL. Gronkowski, 33, shared the news on social media with a lengthy message to everyone that has helped him along the way.
“I want to thank the whole entire first class Buccaneers organization for an amazing ride, trusting me to come back to play and help build a championship team. I will now be going back into my retirement home, walking away from football again with my head held high knowing I gave it everything I had, good or bad, every time I stepped out on the field,” Gronkowski said in his statement.
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“The friendships and relationships I have made will last forever, and I appreciate every single one of my teammates and coaches for giving everything they had as well. From retirement, back to football and winning another championship and now back to chilling out, thank you to all.”
This is not the first time, Gronkowski has retired from the NFL. After the 2018 season when the Patriots won the Super Bowl, Gronkowski decided to call it a career. However, when Tom Brady left the Patriots for the Buccaneers in 2020, he recruited Gronkowski to play for the team, and the two won another Super Bowl together. And could happen again, according to his agent.
“It would not surprise me if Tom Brady calls him during the season to come back and Rob answers the call,” Gronkowski’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter of ESPN. “This is just my opinion but I wouldn’t be surprised if Rob comes back during the season or next season.”
Gronkowski was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He had a breakout year in 2011, catching 90 passes for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns. His next 1,000-yard season came in 2014, catching 82 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Last year, Gronkowski played in 12 regular-season games and recorded 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns. For his career, Gronkowski caught 621 passes for 9,286 for 92 touchdowns, which rank third all-time among tight ends. He is a four-time Super Bowl champion, four-time first-team All-Pro selection, five-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team as well as the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
