Whenever one of the greatest NFL players of his generation decides to call it a career, the natural reflex is to discuss his status among the best of all time. For some such as Tom Brady, the debate is pretty straight-forward. For others like Julian Edelman, it is a lot more nuanced.
What about Rob Gronkowski, though, who on Tuesday ended his pro football career for a second time after his one-year retirement in 2019?
Gronkowski might not find himself just in the same sphere as his long-time quarterback, Brady, but he is not too far off.