Legendary New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski had an incredible NFL career. Gronkowski played 11 years in the league, the first nine of which came in New England. Overall, he finished his career with 621 receptions for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns.
He was selected to five Pro Bowls, had four first-team All-Pro selections and won four Super Bowl titles. He originally retired after the 2018 season before returning to play with his longtime quarterback, Tom Brady, with the Buccaneers and ended up winning one more championship before hanging up the cleats after the 2021 season.
Advertisement
Former New England Patriots legendary tight end Rob Gronkowski.© Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Since his retirement, Gronkowski has continued to work as a colleague of Brady’s off the field, as the two are part of Fox’s NFL coverage. The 36-year-old Gronkowski works as a studio analyst.
On Sunday, while working on a Fox show before the Patriots and Buccaneers game, Gronkowski announced some career news. He said he will be signing a one-day contract with New England to retire with the Patriots.
“Here’s some news first, everyone,” he said. “I am signing a one-day contract with the Patriots this week, coming up to retire as a Patriot and be a Patriot for life.”
Advertisement
This is exciting news for Patriots fans who hoped to see their beloved tight end eventually end in their colors. Gronkowski will be eligible to be inducted into The Patriots Hall of Fame in 2026 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2027.
With the incredible career he had, there’s no doubt Gronkowski will be going into both very soon.
Related: Giants RB Cam Skattebo Shares Personal Update Amid NFL Absence
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.