Former Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski 'Open' to Returning to NFL

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski could make his way back on an NFL field down [...]

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski could make his way back on an NFL field down the road. On Thursday night, Gronk made his debut on Fox Sports and didn't rule out returning to the league despite announcing his retirement back in March.

"I would have to be feeling it, feeling it big time to come back," Gronkowski said via USA Today. "It's always going to be open in my mind. I love the game of football. I love playing the game, I love being around the game, I even love watching the game of football now. I'll always keep it open. I'll always keep the door open."

The question is if Gronkowski decided to return to the NFL, would he be back in New England? Team owner Robert Kraft made an appearance on the NFL Network right before the Patriots took on the New York Giants and he hopes that Gronk will change his mind about being retired.

"We all love Gronk and I think the bottom line is he hasn't put his retirement papers in," Kraft said. "So we can always pray and hope. ... That's a good academic argument that there is hope for us still with Gronk."

As for now, the former All-Pro tight end is enjoying his new job as an NFL analyst on Fox Sports and it gives him an opportunity to stay close to the game.

"I'm extremely excited to be joining FOX Sports," Gronkowski said in a statement. "For the past 25 years, they've offered viewers top-notch NFL programming from the field to the booth to the studio. Their deep talent roster is unmatched, which was important for me as I embark on this new chapter in my life because I'll be able to learn from the best in the business."

Gronkowski's former teammate, Tom Brady who set two NFL records in the win against the Giants, recently shared his thoughts on Gronkowski's new job, admitting "he'll be good."

"He's been pretty good at everything he's done. He's — yeah, I didn't know that. Good for him. Great opportunity," Brady said.

Gronkowski played for the Pats from 2010-2018. He won three Super Bowls during his time in New England to go along with his five Pro Bowls and four All-Pro selections.

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