NFL insider shuts down Rob Gronkowski return rumors

Rob Gronkowski has been talked about quite a bit recently as it was reported he was considering making a comeback and playing for the Denver Broncos. On Tuesday afternoon, Benjamin Allbright, Broncos insider for KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM in Denver, went to X/Twitter to share that a Gronkowski return is unlikely.

“After talking to multiple people it looks like this Gronk thing is probably a nothing burger,” Allbright said. “Gronk has tossed around the idea of getting back in shape and maybe making a comeback. No formal decision. No formal conversation with Broncos. Just a dude tossing around an idea.”

Cecil Lammey of DenverSports.com was the first to report the news of Gronkowski making a comeback. “League sources tell me 4X Super Bowl champion TE Rob Gronkowski is considering a return to the NFL,” Lammey wrote on X/Twitter. “He worked with Sean Payton at Fox & I’m told he loves Denver & QB Bo Nix. (2 of his brothers, Dan and Chris, had short stints with the team).”

Rob Gronkowski, 35, has not played in the NFL in nearly four years. After playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and 2021, Gronkowski announced his retirement from the NFL in June 2022.

Rob Gronkowski retired from the NFL twice

But it’s not the first time Gronk has retired from the league. In March 2019, the former Arizona Wildcats star called it a career after winning his third Super Bowl with the New England Patriots. He came out of retirement in April 2020 when Tom Brady signed with the Buccaneers.

“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 a social media post after retiring in 2022, per Pro Football Talk.

“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. Buccaneers fans, the Krewe, without you guys, none of this is possible, all of ya brought it every game, thank you for all you do. Cheers to what’s next, maybe sailing the seas. Arghhhhhh!!”

In 11 seasons with the Patriots and Buccaneers, Gronkowski caught 621 passes for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl five times and won four Super Bowl titles.