5 most memorable moments of Rob Gronkowski's NFL career 

Rob Gronkowski has officially announced that he will be retiring from his legendary NFL career. He will go down as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history as well as one of the most entertaining personalities to ever play the game.

Gronkowski's signature style will likely never be replicated in the NFL. He has a seemingly endless list of memorable moments that highlight both his elite skill set and charismatic character.

With that said, here are five things among the many examples that define his epic career.

#5 - Super Bowl LV

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady at Super Bowl LV

Rob Gronkowski initially retired following his 2018 season with the New England Patriots. He decided to take a year off before joining Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where they would pick up right where they left off and continue their usual dominance.

In their first season together with their new team, Gronkowski and Brady won their fourth Super Bowl as a duo and cemented their legacy as one of the best pairs of all time. To cap it off, Rob Gronkowski recorded two touchdown receptions during their victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

#4 - 2010 NFL Draft

Gronkowski first headshot with the 2010 New England Patriots

Looking back at the 2010 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots ended up recording one of the biggest steals of the entire year when they selected Rob Gronkowski with the 42nd overall pick.

While getting drafted is always an exciting event, Gronkowski's celebration is one of the most memorable in draft history. He partied with his family while giving the NFL world their first real glimpse into his personality. It was a sign of things to come as entertainment really did turn out to be one of his true specialties.

#3 - Gronk Spike

Gronk Spike signature touchdown celebration

The tight end made Gronk Spike a part of his signature touchdown celebration during his NFL career. He had several different variations of the spike, which often included dancing and other creative theatrics.

While spiking the ball has been a common celebration for many years in the NFL, nobody else has done it quite like Gronkowski. He brought the celebration to a new level and had many opportunities to show it off. The tight end scored an incredible 107 career touchdowns, most of them complete with a signature Gronk Spike.

#2 - Breaking tackles

Gronkowski stiff arms a Washington defender

Guarding Gronkowski was an absolute nightmare for every defense. His massive frame and elite athleticism created an incredible challenge for opposing defenders as he was able to snatch the ball out of the air even when tightly covered.

Gronkowski made the challenge even greater with his unmatched ability to overpower defenders attempting to tackle him. Breaking tackles is one of the qualities he will be most remembered for as he often turned routine plays into highlight reel material with his impressive strength.

#1 - Rob Gronkowski's performance in Super Bowl LIII

Gronkowski makes a crucial catch in Super Bowl LIII

Rob Gronkowski made a crucial reception during Super Bowl LIII that directly helped the New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams. He ran his signature seam route down the middle of the field and split the defense as he so often did. Tom Brady completed the pass, which set up the game's only touchdown and a Patriots victory.

While helping to deliver a Super Bowl ring would make the reception special enough on its own, it ended up being Rob Gronkowski's final reception as a Patriot. The play capped off one of the greatest runs with a team by any tight end in NFL history, helping New England win three rings and establishing himself as a future Hall of Famer.