New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement Sunday on Instagram, but his agent isn’t convinced we’ve seen the last of him.
FILE PHOTO: New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy after his team defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game in Glendale, Arizona, February 1, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
Agent Drew Rosenhaus, speaking on ESPN’s Get Up! on Monday, suggested the league’s most dominant tight end might come back for a few games if he was asked by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
“If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games,” Rosenhaus said.
Gronkowski, who turns 30 in May, has battled injuries to his back and knee and missed 29 games in his career. He openly pondered retirement last offseason, but he returned for another campaign.
Before Super Bowl LIII this year, he said he would make a decision about his future a few weeks after the big game. He also discussed the physical wear and tear he endures throughout the season, as a 6-foot-6, 268-pounder who takes big hits as a receiver, regularly blocks defensive linemen and often plays through injury.
Brady, who has thrown twice as many touchdowns to Gronkowski (78) as any other player (Randy Moss, 39) in his career, commented on the tight end’s Instagram post, writing, “Love u man!! The!! Couldn’t be a better person or teammate!!!!”
Over the last several years, Gronkowski has steadily added experience in other fields, making a WWE appearance in 2017 and taking roles in various movies. Many reports have said the tight end has his eyes on an acting career in Hollywood, while some expect him to go into wrestling.
A three-time Super Bowl champion, four-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Gronkowski caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns in 115 games from 2010-18. Despite playing just nine seasons, he ranks ninth in NFL history among tight ends in receiving yards and tied for third in receiving TDs.
No player at any position caught more touchdowns than Gronkowski during his NFL tenure, and only LeSean McCoy equaled his 80 total touchdowns.
Gronkowski added 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 postseason contests, all top marks among tight ends all-time. Only Jerry Rice (22) has caught more scores in playoff history.
—Field Level Media