Perhaps this will slow the murmurings and the “Will he or won’t he?” questioning for a few months — Rob Gronkowski is now ineligible to play this NFL season.
The deadline for players on the reserve list to apply for reinstatement was 4 p.m. Eastern time Saturday, the final business day before Week 13 kickoff.
While that cutoff definitely means Gronk won’t be able to step out on the field and help the Patriots this season, he has left the door open for a return beyond this year and is eligible to come out of retirement and play again following the Super Bowl.
“I wouldn’t say ‘never coming back,’” Gronkowski said in November. “I’m 30 years old. I’m young. I still stay fit, still, watch the game whenever I can still enjoy it. I’m feeling good, but you know, one year off could possibly be the case. Or maybe two years off, man. It’s always an option in the back of my head.”
