Rob Gronkowski did not play in 2022 despite seemingly constant speculation that he might return, and the star tight end is still not ready to completely close the door on his NFL career.
Gronkowski spoke with Michael Babcock of TMZ on Tuesday about how close he actually came to coming out of retirement this season. He essentially confirmed a recent report that he gave it some thought later in the year, but the 33-year-old said he never really had “the itch” to play.
“I really didn’t have the itch. I just had a couple of thoughts throughout the 17 weeks of football. It was about Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, right around there where I was thinking about it,” Gronkowski admitted. “But I really never got the itch. I’m not gonna go back to football if I’m just thinking about it and don’t really have that itch. That trigger was not gonna be pulled to go back and play football this year.”
So what about next year? Gronk would not rule out playing again, though he said it would take a boatload of money to lure him out of retirement a second time.
“Like ‘Dumb and Dumber’ baby — you’re saying there’s a chance. You never know,” he said. “What if someone wanted to throw the whole salary cap at me or half of the salary cap? Then you’ve got to think about it. … There’s always a possibility, baby.”
Gronk says he never got the itch to play this season.
On playing next year, @RobGronkowski doesn't rule it out, but makes it clear it'd take a lot of money.
The passion for football admittedly isn't there right now. @MojoMuhtadi pic.twitter.com/93P2MqafXC— michael j. babcock (@mikejbabcock) January 10, 2023
Gronkowski has repeatedly refused to shut down rumors of him potentially making an NFL comeback. That may be because he actually has not ruled it out, or it could simply be that Gronk wants the public to maintain as much interest in him as possible.
Tom Brady was able to convince Gronkowski to join him in Tampa Bay after Gronk sat out the 2019 season. Some think the quarterback could do it again. Brady himself has not said whether he will play in 2023, but the thought of Gronk playing for one team that is expected to pursue Brady is quite entertaining.
