Rob Gronkowski ends retirement, traded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gronk is back.

Future hall-of-fame tight end Rob Gronkowski’s retirement from football lasted all of one year. The former New England Patriots star will return to the NFL this season, but this time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

New England still had his contract rights at the time of his retirement announcement, so a trade has been agreed to in principle between the Pats and Bucs. All that’s left is for Gronk to pass his physical (which he’s reportedly already taken).

Apparently prior to the 2018 season, Gronk was going to be traded to the Detroit Lions, but indicated that he’d rather retire than play for another quarterback other than Tom Brady. Gronkowski has spent time as a FOX television analyst and working with the WWE, including at this year’s WrestleMania.

If the Buccaneers offense fails and it’s not because of a string of injuries, then you can’t blame a lack of talent. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin is one of the best receiving duos in the NFL, Gronkowski is one of the best TEs in league history, and of course Tom Brady is Tom Brady.

That isn’t to say Brady won’t fall apart and look every bit like a washed up 43-year-old QB, but the Bucs are aggressively looking for their first playoff win since 2002, and getting Tom’s #1 all-time target on the roster figures to be a significant deal.