Rob Gronkowski has enjoyed the luxury of playing alongside Tom Brady for his entire NFL career.
He joined the New England Patriots in 2010 and posted 10 touchdowns.
He had 17 the following season and became one of Brady’s most consistent and reliable targets.
But Gronkowski has dealt with major injuries throughout his career and retired once already following the 2018 season.
He was convinced to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 because of Brady’s new venture and is now pondering his own future once again.
The tight end is unlikely to return without Brady.
He even went as far as to say he doesn’t know what his plans are at the moment.
Will this be Rob Gronkowski's last season? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/fWuSZr7KZL
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 26, 2022
“If they’re like, ‘Rob, you’ve got to decide right now, right this second if you’re playing next year,’ I would say no right now,” he said.
A second retirement could be an option for the legendary tight end who will turn 33 years old in May.
Potential Turnover In Tampa
All eyes are on Brady this offseason.
If he returns, the Buccaneers remain top Super Bowl contenders.
It would allow them to retain Gronkowski on a one-year deal and would keep free agents interested in signing with the team.
Yet if he retires, the whole operation may crumble.
The Buccaneers would be starting over with the only hope being they could land a star like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson to keep the window of contention open.
With that last catch, @RobGronkowski is now Top 3 all-time in playoff receiving yards & receptions 🙌 pic.twitter.com/id55KIqukQ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 23, 2022
Gronkowski battled through injuries this past season and still finished with 802 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games.
He is a huge asset on the Tampa Bay offense whether Brady is under center or not.
This leaves him, and the rest of the organization, in a holding pattern as the quarterback decides his next move.
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