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Rob Gronkowski is currently retired from the NFL after announcing as much back in June. We all thought that it was the final curtain call for the future Hall of Fame tight end.
However, according to his girlfriend, Camille Kostek, there is still a possibility that we will see 'Gronk' back in the NFL this season. The tight end's girlfriend confirmed this in a recent chat with Sports Illustrated.
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Kostek thinks that the duo of Gronkowski and Brady are having fun with the idea of retiring and un-retiring. Their ruse is what led her to believe this retirement from the 33-year-old is not the final one.
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Kostek said:
"I am an honest lady, and honestly, in my heart, I didn't feel like this one is a forever one. So, I think maybe he'll come back again. I feel like him and Tom [Brady] are just having fun like, 'Retired, not retired, retired, not retired.'"
Her words will make Buccaneers fans' ears prick up. If the tight end was to ever come back out of retirement, he would undoubtedly link up with his best friend in Brady.
Whether the 33-year-old is really done with the NFL remains to be seen, but a door that we all thought was slammed shut has just been left ajar ever so slightly.
Gronkowski would help Buccaneers in 2022
Without the 33-year-old tight end, Tampa Bay is still reasonably strong in the tight end department. Cameron Brate showed he can be called upon in his limited role last season, making him a reliable target for Brady.
From just 30 receptions last year, Brate racked up 245 receiving yards and four touchdowns as he averaged eight yards per catch.
However, adding Gronkowski will still give the tight end room a serious boost. The future Hall of Famer was solid again last season, catching 55 balls for 802 yards and six touchdowns across his 12 games.
With Brady back at the helm, the chance of the 33-year-old returning is always a possibility. With his girlfriend confirming as much, there is a thought that Gronkowski could make a late comeback to the NFL.
While he's certainly behind the eight ball as far as conditioning goes, his talent will no doubt help the Buccaneers in 2022.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Sports Illustrated and H/T Sportskeeda.
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