TAMPA, Fla. ― Rob Gronkowski has never been a free agent. He’s all about experiencing things once in his life.
While the Bucs tight end says he is focused on returning to Tampa Bay in 2021, he also would like to see what it’s like to be enticed by other NFL teams.
It’s almost been considered a forgone conclusion that Gronkowski wouldn’t want to leave the Bucs or quarterback Tom Brady, his longtime teammate with the Patriots.
In fact, it was at Brady’s urging that Gronkowski ended his one-year retirement from the NFL and was traded to Tampa Bay in 2020.
Gronkowski had a good season, catching 45 passes for 643 yards and seven touchdowns.
Appearing on The Ringer, Gronkowski was asked if he was open to playing somewhere besides Tampa Bay next year.
“I definitely want to be back with the Buccaneers. That’s where my eyesight is,” Gronkowski said. “That’s where I’m leaning towards big-time. But you know, with the free-agency process, you just never know what may happen. There’s some other teams interested out there, too.
“I’ve also never been a part of the free-agency process, so I actually want to dip my toes in, just to see what’s out there, because ... I want to be a free agent every year, so if I dip my toes in this year and see what’s out there, see how it works, if I do go back to the Bucs — which you know, that’s my (mind)set — I’ll know how free agency works, I’ll know how teams come after you, and then I’ll have that much more of an advantage every single year, because I’ll be experienced in the free-agency game.”
Gronkowski and 22 other Bucs free agents reached the negotiating period Monday and can negotiate deals with other teams. The signing period begins Wednesday at 4 p.m.
It’s hard to imagine Gronkowski leaving Brady, but he owes it to himself to see what opportunities are out there. He earned $10 million last season, and it may be hard for the Bucs to squeeze him under the salary cap at that figure for 2021.
But it’s clear that Gronkowski plans on playing next season, and he says he will take it year to year.
“Yes, I do want to play more football, and it feels pretty cool to be a free agent,” Gronkowski said. “This is going on my 12th year since I’ve been in the NFL, but my 11th in the NFL because I retired for one of the years. But I never became a free agent. When I was 22, I signed, like, an eight-year deal when I was with the Patriots when I was 22, and that’s rare. I played out the whole contract. To play an eight-year contract out in the NFL is pretty incredible, and it’s pretty rare to see someone to ever even finish a contract in the NFL. That was pretty special there.
“I’ve never been a free agent before, but I’m planning on being a free agent after every season. I feel like I’m a one-year deal guy the rest of my career, even if I play 10 more years. I’m going to be a one-year deal guy, a free agent every year and just control my destiny every year.”
