The tight end has played his entire 11-year NFL career under the leadership of quarterback Tom Brady, first on the Patriots for nine years and then the Buccaneers for two seasons. Gronkowski previously retired after the 2018 season with the Patriots before coming out of retirement to join Brady in Tampa Bay.
Following Gronkowski’s news, Brady released a statement praising his longtime friend.
“Teammate, friend, brother, just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Gronk,” Brady said, via Pro Football Talk. “Nobody has ever embodied the idea of ‘leaving it all out on the field’ like Rob has throughout his entire career.