Rob Gronkowski addresses NFL return rumors

Former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski retired in 2019 before making a comeback in 2020; could another return be on the horizon for the 35-year-old?

The answer, according to Gronkowski himself, is no. He told his FOX Sports colleague Jordan Schultz he has zero intentions of playing football again.

“Crazy bro,” Gronkowski said. “They must know something about me that I don’t. I wish I still had those powers, because that would be cool if I did. But I was just in Australia for a few days. Now it’s time to relax a little. No football.”

The idea of Gronkowski unretiring for a second time became a topic of discussion after a Tuesday report from Cecil Lammey of DenverSports.com.

“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).”

NFL insider shuts down Rob Gronkowski return rumors

It didn’t take long for Benjamin Allbright, Broncos insider for KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM in Denver, to refute Lammey’s report.

“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.”

Gronkowski has not played in the NFL in nearly four years. After playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and 2021, winning his fourth Super Bowl the former year, he announced his retirement from the NFL in June 2022.

In March 2019, Gronkowski 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.

In 11 seasons with the Patriots and Buccaneers, Gronkowski caught 621 passes for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Gronkowski will be a shoo-in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he’s first eligible in 2027.