When Rob Gronkowski first came out of retirement, some around the NFL questioned whether he still had it or not. Needless to say, he proved that he hadn't missed a beat, helping them win the Super Bowl in his first year back.
Now, the veteran tight end is once again contemplating whether to come back or not, as he has yet to sign a new deal with Todd Bowles' team.
A couple of weeks ago, Gronk looked back on his playing career and the physical beating he's had to endure. Even so, he didn't rule back padding up again:
“I’ve played 11 years,’’ Gronkowski told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s not like you wake up after a game and you feel amazing. It’s a beating. You get hit every single play. So if I’m not all in to do that, then I’m not going to put myself out there in that situation. But if I’m feeling that, if I want to go knock my head around, you know, put my body on the line, if I feel like doing that again, miss that, I would certainly sign another contract.’’
Just in case, Gronk continues to work out and stay in shape. If he gets the calling and the desire to be back on the field, he'll be ready to just pad up and start running routes again:
"We'll see," Gronk said. "I'm staying in shape a little bit. So, we'll see if I don't get too out of shape either. That won't be good for me."
But there's one thing that could actually help the Bucs convince him to be back on the field: Bringing Julian Edelman back from retirement:
"Oh yeah, if Julian signs with the Bucs right now, I'm coming back for a whole 'nother year," Gronkowski told Sports Illustrated. "Hands down. I was just with him last night. He needs to sign with the Bucs."
Brady, Gronk, and Edelman were spotted working out a couple of weeks ago, fueling the rumors about a potential comeback. However, Edelman has already shut the door on that possibility after 12 seasons with the New England Patriots.
So, as much as we'd like to see the legendary trio back on the field, it seems like Gronk will have to come back on his own or not at all.
