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Rob Gronkowski retired before the 2019 season, but returned in 2020 to follow Tom Brady to the Buccaneers. The tight end may be back, considering he’s only 33, but Gronkowski announced on Tuesday that he will retire.
He wrote a long post on Instagram, saying goodbye.
“In college, I was asked to write about a dream job opportunity I wanted to pursue and where the location would be,” Gronkowski wrote. “Every time I had to write about my future, whatever it was, I chose to be a professional football player. For that task, however, we had to choose the location. So I wrote that I wanted to play in Tampa with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for many reasons, the sunny weather was No. 1. I completely forgot to write this report until two years ago when I had the opportunity to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Let me tell you, the trip to Tampa for the last two years has blown up what I originally wrote in college, and for that I want to thank the entire first-class organization of the Buccaneers for an amazing trip. trusting me to play again and help build a championship team.
“I will now return to my retirement home, leaving football again with my head held high knowing that I was giving him everything I had, good or bad, every time I went out on the field. The friendships and relationships I have made will last for always, and I thank all my teammates and coaches for giving me everything they had. without you, none of this is possible, you’ve brought them all to every game, thank you for everything you do. Congratulations on what’s coming, maybe sailing the seas. Arghhhhhh !! “
Gronkowski had a fun low season that will continue until the season unless his good friend Brady can attract him. The Bucs expressed optimism throughout the offseason that Gronkowski would return, but selected Cade Otton of Washington and Ko Kieft of Minnesota to go with Cam Brate.
Gronkowski has earned base salaries of $ 9.25 million and $ 8 million with the team over the past two seasons. It also raised $ 1 million in incentives last year. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.
Gronkowski grabbed 55 passes for 802 yards with six touchdowns in 2021, playing in 12 games. In his career, he has 621 receptions for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns.
If so, Gronkowski will surely enter the Professional Football Hall of Fame in the first ballot after the mandatory five-year waiting period.