Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski stepped away from the game of football this off-season after playing for 12 seasons.
Gronk was split between coming back for one last Super Bowl run but decided to step away at the age of 33 and retire relatively healthy.
While Gronkowski has retired from the game of football, the tight end says he's "not like really retired, meaning he's not retired from life.
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Gronkowski told ESPN:
“I’m not like really retired. It’s just from the game of football. … It’s not from life. … When people start retiring, they start dying.”
“It definitely can be a scary route. I mean, I’m not really scared about it — I’m prepared. I feel like there’s a lot of business opportunities. I know I want to step into the business world.”
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Gronk added:
“They took their work ethic from the football field and brought it to the next chapter of life, and that’s something you’ve got to do. You can’t be laid back if you want to be successful in the next chapter of your life. You’ve gotta be all-in, and you’ve gotta grind.”
While it sounds like he will be coming back, it seems unlikely as he appears content with retirement so far.
Rob Gronkowski said he would answer the call if Tom Brady called him
Speaking on Good Morning America, Gronkowski said he would answer the phone if Brady called, but he still wouldn't go back to football:
“I would say ‘what’s up’ but, no, I wouldn’t go back to football. I’m all set. Obviously I’ll answer. He’s the greatest of all time calling and we do have a great relationship on and off the field, we’re good friends.”
While it seems there is a slight chance he could return, fans can probably count on Gronkowski to stay retired.
The former tight end retires as a four-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Pro Bowler, and four-time First-Team All-Pro, with 621 receptions, 9,286 receiving yards, and 92 touchdown receptions.
He holds the record for most 100-yard games for a tight end (32), has the most touchdowns in a single season for a tight end (18), and the most touchdowns in the postseason for a tight end (15).
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit Rob Gronkowski, Good Morning America, and H/T Sportskeeda.
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