Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement two years ago to win one more Super Bowl with Tom Brady and the Bucs, retired for the second time Tuesday, finishing one of the best careers of any tight end in NFL history. Like Brady, he spent most of his playing days as part of the Patriots' dominant run with three Super Bowls in five years, finishing with two seasons in Tampa.
Gronkowski, 33, finishes his career with 92 regular-season touchdowns, third all-time among tight ends behind Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez. He added another 15 in playoff games, including five in Super Bowls. Those numbers were limited by near-constant injuries over his career, including back issues that led to his first retirement after the 2018 season.
The larger-than-life personality of "Gronk" made him a fan favorite, his touchdowns punctuated by his signature "Gronk Spike." His celebrity has extended far beyond football, hosting TV shows during his offseasons and making frequent commercial endorsements.
A second-round pick out of Arizona, Gronkowski took the league by storm in 2010, getting 10 touchdowns as a rookie, then enjoying one of the best seasons ever by a tight end: 90 catches for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2011. He had at least 10 touchdown catches in five of his first six seasons, earned first-team All-Pro honors four times and made the Pro Bowl five times. Like Brady, he should be a first-ballot lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when eligible in 2027.
Reunited with the Bucs in 2020, Brady and Gronkowski connected for two touchdowns in Tampa Bay's Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. His final NFL season saw him miss most of six games with injuries, returning healthy for the second half of the year. His final touchdown came in Tampa Bay's playoff win over the Eagles, and he had four catches for 85 yards in their season-ending playoff loss to the Rams.
(Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today Sports)
What's Gronk's legacy with the Patriots?
Steve Buckley, Boston senior writer: Just as “Tom Brady to Randy Moss” was a special time in Patriots history, so, too, is “Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski.” Picture it: One of the greatest quarterbacks in history connecting with one of the greatest tight ends in history, week after week. It was as much about art as athletics, with the added bonus that Gronkowski had the personality and demeanor of an old high school buddy.
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What's Gronk's legacy with the Bucs?
Greg Auman, Bucs beat writer: Gronkowski only had two years in Tampa, but his legacy is the same as with the Patriots: At his very best, catching playoff touchdowns from Brady.
They hooked up twice in the Super Bowl win against the Chiefs — "two tuddies!" exclaimed a giddy Gronkowski to his longtime Patriots teammate. He brought out the fun side of Brady and helped him win a championship.
Gronkowski's painful injury to his ribs and back last season and the long road back to playing again was a reminder that his health was a big part of his first decision to retire, and certainly part of this as well.
Where does Gronk stand in terms of the Pro Football Hall of Fame chances?
Larry Holder, NFL writer: In short, he deserves to be in Canton.
Using Pro Football Reference’s HOF monitor, Gronkowski rates as the No. 6 tight end in history is terms of HOF status. The five tight ends rated ahead of him are Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe, Antonio Gates, Dave Casper and Jason Witten. Gates and Witten aren’t eligible for the HOF yet.
Using PFR’s “Weighted Approximate Value” metric, Gronk ranks as the No. 5 tight end all time behind Gonzalez, Gates, Sharpe and Witten. If inducted, here’s the full list of the HOF tight ends he would join:
- Gonzalez
- Sharpe
- Casper
- Kellen Winslow
- Ozzie Newsome
- Jackie Smith
- John Mackey
- Mike Ditka
- Charlie Sanders
Where do the Bucs turn at tight end?
Auman: They have veteran Cam Brate and drafted two tight ends in fourth-rounder Cade Otton and sixth-rounder Ko Kieft, but are almost certain to add another veteran tight end to help out the group.
Some of the best options are even older than Gronk — you have Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook, both 35, and Kyle Rudolph, 32, along with younger options like Eric Ebron and Blake Jarwin (who is coming off a hip injury). Expect a modest signing but one who can add a Brate-like presence and take the burden off the rookies, especially in blocking.
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