New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski playfully fed into the rumor mill this offseason. But on Sunday, he took a different tact. He quelled the rumors about mulling the possibility of returning from his retirement. The tight end announced he was ending his career on March 24.
“Whatever I say, it doesn’t matter. It will always be crazy out there, but you can put them to rest,” Gronkowski said during One Mission Buzz Off for Kids at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I’m feeling good. [In a] good place. It’s great to be back here.”
Gronk’s work with charities was significant during his playing career. It appears he wants to prioritize it in retirement, too. The Buffalo-native intends to keeping giving back to New England.
“I love the New England community. It’s something special, all the support through many, many years of playing. The support of just not on the field, but off the field as well. New England will always be special, always have a big part in my heart, and always have much love,” he said. “It’s great to continue giving back. Just because I’m not playing any more doesn’t mean you can’t give back. You can do more, actually.”
Gronkowski retired after after nine seasons in the NFL. The three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowler finished his career with 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns. While fighting through Achilles tendinitis and a bulging disk in his back in 2018, according to NFL Network, he had 47 receptions for 682 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.
