Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski continues to be coy about his future in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette shared a screenshot on Instagram of a tweet he sent wondering how many fans will be wearing his jersey in 2022. Gronkowski responded and said, "I’ll represent a 7 jersey in the stands for ya!"

In April, Gronkowski told USA Today's Josh Peter he still hadn't made a decision about his status for the upcoming NFL season. He explained how he wants to wait until he knows for sure one way or the other.

"So if I’m not all in to do that, then I’m not going to put myself out there in that situation," he said. "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."

While he's a free agent, the 33-year-old would presumably only suit up for the Buccaneers.

First-year head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Friday the team doesn't have any set deadline on when it expects to hear a resolution.

While not performing at the level he enjoyed during his peak with the New England Patriots, Gronkowski has shown in his two years with the Bucs he remains an effective aerial target. He has 100 receptions for 1,425 yards and 13 touchdowns over 28 games.

But Gronkowski has been blunt about the punishment he has absorbed on the gridiron. Following his brief retirement in 2019, he said he thought he had suffered around 20 concussions and required nine surgeries.

Nobody will be surprised if Gronk decides he has had enough. 

Future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski said he still hasn't made a decision about whether he'll play during the 2022 NFL season.

Gronk told TMZ Sports in an interview released Friday he's enjoying the offseason but won't rule out a return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to continue his longtime partnership with legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

"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."

Once Brady announced the end of his short-lived retirement in mid-March, it seemed like Gronkowski's return to the Bucs was a mere formality.

That wasn't the case, as it appears the five-time Pro Bowl selection is genuinely on the fence about whether to continue his NFL career. He previously skipped the 2019 season with the New England Patriots before linking back up with Brady in Tampa for 2020.

Gronkowski remained productive for the Bucs last season. He recorded 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns across 12 games, earning a solid 79.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

So there's little doubt about whether the 32-year-old (33 in May) University of Arizona product can play at a high level, but he sounds uncertain about whether he wants to endure the rigors of another NFL season.

Gronkowski was in Las Vegas, which is hosting the NFL draft, to host the "Gronk Beach" event Friday night and joked that could spark his return.

"Gronk Beach may be the party that gets me back to football," he told TMZ. "Someone's going to throw me a pass on stage, I'll probably catch it, and be like, 'Man, I miss football.'"

It's worth noting Gronk is a free agent, so he's free to sign with any team, but it would qualify as a significant surprise if he comes back to play somewhere besides Tampa.

His partnership with Brady has led to him winning four Super Bowl rings, and the duo would have a real shot at another one this season, in part thanks to playing in the NFC, which looks like the weaker conference on paper.

Gronkowski is still a strong bet to eventually return, but it's clear he's going to take him time making that decision, potentially waiting for offseason team activities to end before signing a contract.

Free agent tight end Rob Gronkowski said that if he decides to return to the NFL in 2022, it will be with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"There's one thing, if I do play football, though, it would definitely be with the Bucs," Gronkowski told Lanae Brody of People at rehearsals for the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, which he is hosting Saturday.

It appears he'd have the support of his girlfriend, Camille Kostek, who is a television host and model.

"I think she wants me to go back," Gronkowski said. "She supports me for sure."

One big step toward Gronkowski's return would appear to be his longtime teammate Tom Brady. The quarterback ended his retirement after just 40 days. The duo played together in New England from 2010 to '18, winning five AFC titles and three Super Bowls for the Patriots.

Gronkowski retired after the 2018 season but came back to the game when Brady signed with the Bucs in 2020. The two won another Super Bowl together that season.

Last year's Bucs team won the NFC South but fell to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. The 32-year-old Gronkowski had 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns during the regular season despite missing five games.

Sans Gronk, the current tight end depth chart in Tampa Bay consists of Cameron Brate and Codey McElroy.

Future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski said he feels "a little bit" of responsibility to rejoin Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the quarterback brought an end to his short-lived retirement.

Gronk, who's currently a free agent, explained Wednesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live he's currently weighing that loyalty to Brady against whether he wants to put his body through another NFL season.

"It's about playing the game. I wanna be there with the guys. That's the best part, being part of the team," he said. "Do I wanna do that week-in, week-out schedule? I mean, it's a brutal game."

Gronkowski previously spent the 2019 season in retirement before returning in 2020 after Brady moved to the Bucs following two decades as a member of the New England Patriots. They'd spent nine years together with the Pats.

The 32-year-old five-time Pro Bowler continued to play at a high level in 2021, recording 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns across 12 appearances. His 92 receiving scores since his rookie season in 2010 are the most in the NFL over that span.

Brady doesn't necessarily need the University of Arizona product on the roster to enjoy another successful season leading the Tampa offense. His group of pass-catchers already includes wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, Breshad Perriman, Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller, along with tight end Cameron Brate.

Yet, after a long and successful partnership, life is always easier for the seven-time Super Bowl champion when he knows Gronkowski is working the middle of the field, especially in the red zone.

It wouldn't be a surprise if the star tight end remains a free agent for most of the offseason, allowing him to miss the organized team activities and perhaps even part of training camp without the risk of financial punishment, before re-signing with the Bucs.

All told, Brady's return combined with Gronk's continued strong play makes it likely he'll be back on the field at some point in 2022.

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly interested in signing tight end Rob Gronkowski if he chooses to continue his NFL career.

Tim Graham of The Athletic reported the Bills reached out to Gronkowski when he was a free agent last offseason and remain interested despite his uncertain football future. The surefire Hall of Famer is from Amherst, New York, which is about 12 miles outside of Buffalo. 

Gronkowski rebuffed Buffalo's interest a year ago to return to Tampa Bay and play with Tom Brady. He recorded 55 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns in 2021 despite missing five games with injuries.

Brady's retirement this offseason perhaps paved the way for Gronk to finish his career near his hometown. While the 32-year-old has made no concrete decisions regarding his own future, Gronkowski did say in January he was leaning toward retirement.

"If they're like, 'Rob, you've got to decide right now, right this second if you're playing next year,' I would say no right now," he said. "I would be like, 'No, I'm not playing,'" Gronkowski told TMZ Sports.

Gronkowski previously retired in 2019 before returning with the Bucs a year later. 

Should he make the trip up North, Gronkowski would be an instant luxury in an offense that already includes Dawson Knox. Adding Gronk to the mix would give the Bills far more dynamism in their two-TE sets while also lessening Gronkowski's workload in terms of blocking.

If the money is right, there could be a solid fit for both sides.

Rob Gronkowski has spent his entire career catching passes from future Hall of Famer Tom Brady, and the pair made for quite the dynamic duo.

But with Brady retired and Gronk about to hit free agency, the veteran tight end revealed Tuesday the quarterback he'd like to play with next.

"I kinda like this young buck quarterback," Gronkowski said during a Q-and-A for Autograph NFTs, per Pro Football Focus' Ari Meirov. "He's in the Super Bowl now. It's Joe Burrow, man. I watched him in college. I just love the way he presents himself out on that football field. In the pocket, he's just so calm, and he just slings it out on the field. And I love his swag, too. So if I could pick a quarterback, I'd go with the young buck Joe Burrow."

The Cincinnati Bengals are in the Super Bowl, and now they might just have the inside track at signing Gronkowski this offseason if they choose to go in that direction. Not a bad week for the team.

Granted, Gronkowski is 32 and missed five games this past season because of injuries. He already retired once, skipping the 2019 season, and it's fair to question how much is left in the tank, though he still caught 55 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns this season.

So if the Bengals are in the market for a tight end this spring, one who remains a major threat in the red zone, they'd be wise to give Gronk a call. Sounds as though he'll pick up the phone for Burrow.

Rob Gronkowski has honored Tom Brady after the two played together for 11 seasons between the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

In a post, Gronkowski called their football journey together "nothing short of special" after Brady announced his retirement from the NFL:

Brady announced Tuesday he was retiring after 22 seasons. 

Gronkowski has never played in the NFL without Brady as his teammate. He was a second-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 2010. 

The addition of Gronkowski helped take the Pats offense to another level. The 2010 and 2011 groups are among the top 20 offenses in NFL history by Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average). 

Brady threw for a then-career-high 5,235 passing yards in 2011. Gronkowski caught 17 of his 36 touchdown passes that season. 

In 2019, after the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, Gronkowski retired from the NFL because of a series of injuries suffered over the course of nine seasons. 

After not playing the 2019 season, Gronkowski came out of retirement to join Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The duo hooked up for 100 receptions, 1,425 yards and 13 touchdowns in 28 regular-season games over the past two seasons. 

Gronkowski caught two of Brady's three touchdown passes in a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. 

The 32-year-old caught 90 touchdown passes from Brady. The only quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history with more was Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison (114). 

Gronkowski and Brady won four Super Bowls and six conference titles in 11 seasons as teammates.     

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski said he'd retire if the NFL forced him to make a final decision about the 2022 season right now.

Gronkowski told TMZ Sports in an interview released Wednesday he'll instead take some time to rest and recover before making any announcements about his future.

"If they're like, 'Rob, you've got to decide right now, right this second if you're playing next year,' I would say no right now," he said. "I would be like, 'No, I'm not playing.'"

Gronk added: "I just want to heal completely, see where my thoughts are from there. Just let things settle down—got to just heal a little bit. Fix all the bumps and bruises."

The 32-year-old University of Arizona product put together another solid year in 2021. He recorded 55 catches for 802 yards, his highest totals since 2017 with the New England Patriots, and also scored six touchdowns across 12 appearances during the regular season.

He previously retired ahead of the 2019 campaign only to return in 2020 to reunite with quarterback Tom Brady following his move from the Pats to the Bucs.

Gronkowski told Fox News' Ryan Gaydos the future of Brady, who's also faced questions about potential retirement, won't have a direct impact on his own decision.

"Tom's gotta do what he's gotta do," the four-time Super Bowl champion said. "You know, I can't speak for him, but whatever is best for him and his family, I totally understand. Everyone really wants to see him play football."

Gronk added he'll likely come to his own conclusion in a "couple weeks."

If the New York native decides to hang up his cleats for good, he'll be a lock for future Hall of Fame induction, almost assuredly on the first ballot.

Along with the Super Bowl titles, his resume also features five Pro Bowl appearances, four First Team All-Pro selections and several NFL records for tight ends, including the single-season mark for touchdown receptions with 17 in 16 games during the 2011 season.

If Gronkowski opts to return, he's slated to become an unrestricted free agent with the conclusion of his one-year, $8 million contract with the Buccaneers.

He'd likely have no shortage of potential suitors if he decides to leave Tampa Bay, an option he may explore if Brady retires.