Rob Gronkowski: Staying Retired, Explaining Patriots Snub

The future Hall-of-Fame tight end confirms he's played his last down in the NFL, and explains why he didn't thank New England in retirement statement.

The greatest tight end in the history of the New England Patriots - and perhaps the NFL - is staying retired.

And not even Tom Brady, Drew Rosenhaus or the allure of adding to his Hall-of-Fame legacy is going to change his mind. When Gronkowski announced his second retirement last month, his agent hinted that he could change his mind if contacted by his former Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers' teammate.

But at a promotional event Tuesday in Boston, Gronk confirmed he was finished with football.

“I’m done with football. Love the game. And definitely blessed with all the opportunities the game of football has given me,“ Gronkowski said. “But done with football, and stepping my feet into the business world and the business ventures. Just seeing what’s out there and where I can, you know, find my place.”

Gronkowski’s firm answer is in direct contrast to comments that Rosenhaus made shortly after the 33-year-old announced his retirement June 21. When asked about his agent’s remarks, Gronkowski said he’d definitely spare some time for a phone call with his longtime quarterback, but that he would remain in retirement, regardless of who was on the other end of the line.

“Drew is the No. 1 football agent out there,” Gronkowski said. “He loves anything that has to do with the NFL and loves to see his players always be playing … I would obviously answer the greatest quarterback of all time and ask him how he’s doing and tell him I’m doing good, but I won’t go back to football, no.”

Gronkowski also attempted to clarify why he omitted the Patriots from his long retirement announcement last month.

“I think it’s a little blown out of proportion,” Gronkowski told NESN while attending Ice Shaker’s Boats, Bottles and Bros media event while promoting the brand of his brother, Chris Gronkowski. “I mean, I kind of did it when, you know, my first retirement. There’s no doubt I love New England. I love all the fans here in New England. There’s no doubt. But I felt like that speech or whatever, the time and place I did for the first one was great, and I was just kind of giving it for that retirement for the two years I had in Tampa. But I think it was blown out of proportion maybe a little. But I love New England, love everything about it.”

Gronkowski, of course, first retired in 2019 after winning Super Bowl LIII in New England.

With him long gone, second-year Patriots quarterback Mac Jones will head to training camp in two weeks with a tight-end depth chart led by Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.