Rob Gronkowski formally announces NFL retirement for second time

Rob Gronkowski is hanging up his cleats — again.

Gronkowski intends to retire from the NFL, he announced via Instagram Tuesday. It’s the second time he’s retired from football, previously doing so after the 2018 season with the New England Patriots. But when Tom Brady chose to go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the 2020 season, Gronkowski came out of retirement to reunite with his good friend. There, they won another Super Bowl title.

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“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 wrote on Instagram. “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.”

Gronkowski, who starred at Arizona before heading to the NFL, battled injuries last year, but still put up good numbers. He hauled in 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns for Tampa Bay, which finished 13-4 and fell to the eventual Super bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs.

For his career, Gronkowski totaled 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns to cement himself as one of the game’s premier tight ends. Together, with Brady, he won four Super Bowls — three in New England with the Patriots and the one in Tampa Bay.

There’s already speculation about how long Gronkowski will stay retired. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, threw some fuel on that fire in a text message to ESPN’s Adam Schefter shortly after the announcement.

“It would not surprise me if Tom Brady calls him during the season to come back and Rob answers the call,” Rosenhaus told Schefter. “This is just my opinion but I wouldn’t be surprised if Rob comes back during the season or next season.”