Longtime NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski has officially announced his retirement. Gronkowski, a four-time Super Bowl champion, spent the 2021 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but has also played for the New England Patriots.
Breaking: Rob Gronkowski tells me he’s retiring.
The future first ballot Hall of Famer won four Super Bowls while earning a spot on the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Team and 2010s All-Decade Team.
An all-time great officially hangs em up at 33 years old.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 21, 2022
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Rob Gronkowski Announces Retirement
Since coming into the league in 2010, Gronkowski has been one of the biggest physical and metaphorical tight ends. Gronkowski was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round with the 42nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Arizona. He was selected two rounds before the Patriots drafted Florida Gators tight end Aaron Hernandez as a part of their two-tight end set.
While battling through a series of injuries in his first nine years in the league, Gronkowski was one of the most dominant and efficient tight ends in the league. He had his breakout year in 2011 when he caught 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also accounted for a rushing touchdown. With the Patriots, Gronkowski helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls as was named four-time First-Team All-Pro (2011, 2014, 2015, and 2017), a five-time Pro-Bowler, and the 2014 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He retired from the NFL on March 19th, 2019 as injuries piled on and his mental health was being affected.
Gronkowski got the itch to play in the NFL again after Brady left the Patriots via free agency to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Patriots traded Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-rounder so he can unite with Brady. In his first season with Tampa Bay, Gronkowski caught 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns as he was a part of the dominating Super Bowl LV title team. This past season, Gronkowski caught 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns in the 12 regular season games he played.
With Brady retired from the league and Gronkowski under a new quarterback, he will have a chance to develop his future Hall of Fame career. Gronkowski has caught 93 regular season touchdowns from Brady.
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