Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski had a humorous response when asked if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could to lure Julian Edelman out of retirement. 

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Gronkowski joked there's a "69 percent chance" that Edelman will play for the reigning Super Bowl champions in 2021. 

After Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald reported last week that Edelman would be unlikely to play a full 17-game season due to chronic knee problems, the 34-year-old officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday. 

https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/1381722282570170373

If there's any team that could get Edelman back in the NFL, it would likely be the Bucs. He spent 10 seasons as Tom Brady's teammate and nine seasons playing alongside Gronkowski with the New England Patriots.

Edelman spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the Patriots. He was drafted in the seventh round as a wide receiver in 2009 after being a three-year starter at quarterback for Kent State. 

After a slow start to his career, Edelman emerged as one of Tom Brady's favorite targets with the Patriots. He averaged 132.2 targets, 88.3 receptions, 965.5 receiving yards and 5.3 touchdowns per season from 2013-19. 

Edelman won three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots. He had more than 100 receiving yards in New England's Super Bowl victories over the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 and Los Angeles Rams in 2019. 

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe. 

Triple H on When He Last Spoke to CM Punk

CM Punk hasn't stood inside a WWE ring since January 2014, but he remains a constant topic of conversation within the world of pro wrestling.

During an appearance on Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take podcast (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton) on Monday, WWE executive Triple H was asked about Punk.

As part of his answer, The Game revealed that he has spoken to Punk in the past two years:

"Last time I talked to [Punk]? A year-and-a-half...a year and three quarters ago? A funny thing that people constantly will say, when his return is or...but in some way, I don't know whether he does or not, but that has to be what he wants. When people talk about, they go, 'Make the call!' What says if we make the call he wants to answer? What says if we make the call he doesn't go, like, 'Yeah, I'm not interested in doing that anymore.' Maybe he's just done with it.

"I think that those are conversations that only those people can directly answer. I think if he wants to do it, either we would get word and we would have those conversations or he would make a call, or you know, anything like that, but there has to be a desire there to do something like that. This business is too all in to just go like, 'Ehhh, alright. I'll do it.'"

Punk didn't leave WWE on the best of terms in 2014, as he was injured and frustrated when he walked out. Nearly one year after he left WWE, he appeared on Colt Cabana's podcast The Art of Wrestling and trashed the company as well.

However, he may not be completely closed off to the idea of a WWE return at some point.

In 2019 and 2020, Punk indirectly returned to WWE by appearing on FS1's WWE Backstage to discuss the WWE product and give his thoughts and opinions.

He signed a contract with Fox rather than WWE, so it wasn't an actual return, but it may have been evidence that Punk was willing to listen if the right opportunity came along.

One thing that could potentially increase WWE's interest in bringing Punk back is the existence of a competitor in AEW. While AEW is still far away from truly challenging WWE in terms of size, scope and influence, signing Punk would be a huge move.

At the very least, Triple H's comments on Pardon My Take show that WWE is open for business and willing to speak with Punk if a reunion makes sense for both sides.

     

Punk Talks Jericho Appearing on WWE's 'Broken Skull Sessions'

One of the biggest pieces of news in wrestling over the past week is the fact that current AEW star Chris Jericho is set to appear on WWE programming when he takes part in a Broken Skull Sessions interview with WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

WWE shocked the wrestling world with the announcement last week, and fans of both WWE and AEW are intrigued to see what Austin and Jericho discuss when the interview hits the Peacock streaming service Sunday.

During an interview with TMZ Sports on Monday, Punk was asked to give his thoughts on the surprising decision to allow Jericho on Broken Skull Sessions.

Punk called it "interesting" before adding: "Honestly, my major reaction and opinion on it is I think that it shows [WWE Chairman] Vince McMahon isn't afraid of AEW at all because if he was, he wouldn't allow that to happen."

It is often said that McMahon lives inside a WWE bubble and isn't necessarily privy to or worried about anything else that is happening in the wrestling world.

Having Jericho on a WWE show while he is working for the competition may be proof of that. It also shows that Vince likely has no hard feelings about the fact that Jericho decided to join AEW rather than staying with the company he became a huge star in over the course of two decades.

Aside from Jericho being on the show, there is intrigue surrounding what will be discussed and whether AEW will be among the topics.

Punk said he expects mostly "softball questions" about Jericho's time in WWE with only a mention of AEW rather than delving deeply into it.

The 42-year-old Punk added: I don't know if they're going to ask Jericho all the tough questions—and nor do I think that they possibly should."

Regardless of what is asked, Jericho being back on WWE programming in any capacity is a huge deal, and a large contingent of the wrestling-watching audience is sure to be viewing.

      

Triple H Leaves Door Open for Gronk to Appear at WrestleMania

Rob Gronkowski served as the host of WrestleMania 36 last year after signing a contract with WWE, but his time in wrestling was shortlived after he returned to the NFL.

The decision paid dividends for Gronk, as the future Hall of Fame tight end was traded from the New England Patriots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he reunited with quarterback Tom Brady and helped the Bucs win Super Bowl LV.

It is unclear when or if Gronk will return to wrestling, but Triple H revealed Monday that he is still being talked about within the world of WWE.

On Pardon My Take (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Triple H suggested it isn't outside the realm of possibility that Gronkowski could appear at WrestleMania 37 this weekend:

"It's a possibility. I know it's been discussed. I'm of the opinion that as the first opportunity with Gronk was happening and we were meeting with him around the Super Bowl, you kind of don't know what Gronk is going to do until Gronk does what he's going to do. You can have a lot of conversations, but until he actually shows up, I don't know if it's going to happen. There have been conversations around that. As always, there's going to be a lot of celebrity influence."

It would make plenty of sense for Gronk to appear at WrestleMania, not only because he hosted and won the 24/7 Championship last year, but because of where it is being held.

WrestleMania 37 will take place this weekend at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, which is the home of the Buccaneers.

Gronkowski would likely get a huge reaction from Bucs fans in attendance, as he played a big role in Tampa winning the Super Bowl by catching two touchdown passes in the Buccaneers' 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gronk has already signed on to return to the Bucs next season, so his WWE career will have to wait, but it could be mutually beneficial for him and WWE for Gronkowski to show up at WrestleMania 37.

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Rob Gronkowski re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, and he told reporters there was little doubt that he would return to the team in free agency, even as the Buffalo Bills expressed interest in him. 

"I knew I wanted to be here," he said, per Greg Auman of The Athletic. "It's great to be back here with the Bucs."

Mike Silver of NFL Network reported previously that the Bills gave the tight end a "similar offer" to the one-year, $10 million deal he inked in Tampa Bay (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

But Gronkowski instead elected to run it back with the only quarterback he's ever known, Tom Brady, for another year in Tampa Bay. 

"I feel like I could play another season right now, if it started," Gronkowski added. "I feel really good. ... I feel light. I feel flexible. I feel like I can go out and just play some football, and just go out and not be in pain ... run routes and do what I gotta do out there on the field. So I definitely feel like I'm ready to go, to play another full season coming up this year and just take it a year at a time like that."

Rob Gronkowski opened up about his reaction to finding out that former teammate Aaron Hernandez had been charged with murder. 

Appearing on the 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt show (h/t TMZ Sports), Gronkowski said he "was definitely shook" upon hearing the news. 

"Because, being his teammate and everything—you really don't see that," he added. "You're not really looking into players like that...that's who they are, or that's what they're doing."

Hernandez was arrested in June 2013 in connection with the murder of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old former semi-pro football player whose body was found by a nighttime jogger not far from Hernandez's home in Massachusetts. 

On June 26, 2013, Hernandez was formally charged with first-degree murder and five other gun-related charges. He was later indicted on a double-murder charge from a July 2012 but was eventually acquitted in that case. 

Hernandez was later sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury found him guilty of murdering Lloyd. He died by suicide at the age of 27 after hanging himself in his prison cell in April 2017, shortly after he was acquitted of the double-murder charge. 

The Massachusetts Supreme Court reinstated Hernandez's conviction of Lloyd's murder in March 2019 after a judge threw it out two years earlier because Hernandez died while the case was still in the appeals process. 

Gronkowski and Hernandez spent three seasons together as teammates with the Patriots. Both players were selected by New England in the 2010 NFL draft. 

The Buffalo Bills made a run at Rob Gronkowski before he lined up his return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to NFL Network's Michael Silver. 

Adam Schefter of ESPN confirmed Monday that Gronkowski received a one-year contract from the Bucs worth up to $10 million. Silver said the four-time All-Pro tight end "considered a similar offer from the Bills." 

Signing with Buffalo would've brought the Amherst, New York, native close to home, and he would've been beloved by members of Bills Mafia.

Hey Gronk, have you ever jumped through a table at a Bills tailgate?

Gronk: “Not at a tailgate, but I've been through tables before, for sure.”

Oh? Where?

Gronk: “Like at family get-togethers. I've definitely been, growing up, through tables.”

— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) November 30, 2017

Prying the 31-year-old out of Florida was always going to be difficult, though. The Bucs are coming off a win in Super Bowl LV, and they have such a deep well of pass-catchers that Gronkowski doesn't have to shoulder a heavy load. His 2019 retirement resulted from the punishment his body had taken over the years.

Silver posited the Bills may now look in a different direction to address the tight end position.

Gronkowski, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are already off the board. Perhaps Gerald Everett, Kyle Rudolph or Jared Cook will be in play for general manger Brandon Beane, or the draft could be an option as well.

The team would need to trade up from the 30th overall pick to land Florida's Kyle Pitts, but Penn State's Pat Freiermuth (No. 43) and Miami's Brevin Jordan (No. 61) both cracked the top 100 prospects in B/R's Big Board 1.0.

First, a fourth Super Bowl title. And now a new contract.

It's safe to say Rob Gronkowski's decision to return to football following his retirement worked out well for him.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Gronkowski agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $10 million Monday, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

https://t.co/GMzEde379q pic.twitter.com/Sg3RWYplQm

— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) March 15, 2021

pic.twitter.com/FSBZ8WOjMi

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 15, 2021

"I'll remain unretired," the tight end told reporters following the Buccaneers' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. "I'm a free agent for the first time in my career. I definitely see myself coming back ... I'm gonna soak this in and see where I'm at in a couple weeks, but I don't see why not."

It is no surprise that the University of Arizona product returned to Tampa Bay alongside his former New England Patriots partner in crime, Tom Brady, especially after he was so dominant in that Super Bowl win.

Gronkowski hauled in six catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over the Chiefs and joined Jerry Rice as the only players with two or more touchdown receptions in multiple Super Bowls.

He and Brady also passed Rice and Montana's NFL postseason record of 12 touchdown passes between a quarterback and a receiver with their 13th and 14th.

Gronkowski was already a surefire Hall of Famer and arguably the best tight end in NFL history when he retired following the 2018 season. During his time with the Patriots, he was a three-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro selection.

He had five seasons with double-digit touchdowns and four seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards with New England and was a massive part of the team's dynasty.

While Gronkowski wasn't that dominant with the Bucs, he was still effective during the 2020 regular season with 45 catches for 623 yards and seven touchdowns. Those were solid numbers for a tight end, especially in an offense with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown and only so many targets to go around. 

His days of being the NFL's best tight end are over, but Gronkowski is only 31 years old and coming off a head-turning performance in the Super Bowl.

He will look to keep it rolling with the Bucs in 2021.

Rob Gronkowski wants to play the 2021 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the tight end plans to test out free agency anyway.

In an appearance on the 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt podcast, the defending Super Bowl champion said he wants to see what's out there since he never got to explore free agency as a member of the New England Patriots. 

"I definitely want to be back with the Buccaneers. That’s where my eyesight is. That’s where I’m leaning toward, big time," he said. "But with the free-agency process, you just never know what may happen. There’s some other teams interested out there, too. I’ve also never been a part of the free-agency process, so I actually want to dip my toes in, just to see what’s out there."

The Patriots drafted Gronkowski in the second round out of Arizona in 2010, and he signed a six-year extension when his rookie deal expired. He never finished that deal, choosing instead to retire after the 2018 season. 

But he came back to the NFL in 2020 to join his former quarterback Tom Brady as both opted to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first time either would compete for a team other than the Patriots. Together, they led the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl title—the seventh for Brady and fourth for Gronkowski. 

The four-time Pro Bowler was a major key to the Bucs' Super Bowl run. Through 16 starts—his first time starting every regular-season game since 2011—he reeled in 45 passes for 623 yards and seven scores. Both of his postseason touchdowns came in the Super Bowl defeat of the Kansas City Chiefs, but he made eight receptions for 110 yards in total. 

Gronkowski said he wants to play on one-year contracts for the remainder of his career—and he left open the idea of playing for as long as his quarterback has. The 31-year-old, who turns 32 in May, said the shorter deals are what he will be looking for "even if I play 10 more years." 

If that's the case, there's the possibility for at least two more of those years to be with Brady, who has said he would consider playing after he turned 45. 

Rob Gronkowski was the latest to get in on a prank call challenge that has floated around the internet for the past month with a FaceTime call to Tom Brady.  

Gronk posted a video to Instagram on Thursday that showed him fooling Brady with the "I'm busy right now" prank that swept TikTok and the rest of the internet. The prankster places a FaceTime call to someone, and when they answer, says that they're busy right now and asks to call back later. 

.@RobGronkowski got @TomBrady good with this challenge 🤣 @brgridiron https://t.co/1IihZ3N8Mf

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 11, 2021

The bit previously found its way to the NBA on TNT crew, as Shaq, Adam Sandler and more got involved on Feb. 5. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski said Tuesday that his return from NFL retirement will last at least one more season. 

In an interview with TMZ Sports, Gronk made it clear that he will be back in 2021:

"I'm back, man," Gronkowski said. ... "I will be back playing football, man. I love the game of football. I loved playing last year. I had a great time."

The tight end added he is already back in training to get ready for the new season: "Let me tell you, I was a little bit sore first day of training, but it bounced back like that. I'm feeling good."

Gronkowski's return to football was a successful one in 2020, as he played a big role in the Bucs beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

Gronk is set to become a free agent this offseason, but it is difficult to envision him leaving Tampa and playing with a quarterback other than his close friend Tom Brady.

The 31-year-old Gronkowski spent the first nine seasons of his career alongside Brady as a member of the New England Patriots. During that time, Gronk established himself as one of the best tight ends in NFL history with 521 receptions for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns, plus five Pro Bowls, four First Team All-Pro selections and three Super Bowl wins.

Gronkowski retired at the conclusion of 2019 after suffering numerous injuries in previous years, but after healing up and watching Brady sign with the Bucs, Gronk was reinvigorated and traded to Tampa.

While Gronkowski got off to something of a slow start in 2020, he became a key part of the offense and finished with 45 catches for 623 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season starts.

He took a back seat to wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown at times, but Gronkowski still managed to put up solid numbers and was a big-time contributor as a blocker when he wasn't catching the football.

Gronkowski has long had a penchant for turning up his game during the playoffs, and he did that once again this past postseason. He was especially dominant in the Super Bowl, catching six passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns as the Buccaneers won their first Super Bowl since 2002.

Assuming Gronkowski re-signs with the Bucs for 2021, they may have some decisions to make at the tight end position, especially if they want room to sign free agents at other positions.

Cameron Brate acted as the No. 2 tight end behind Gronk throughout the 2020 season and performed well with 28 receptions for 282 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season, plus an impressive 14 catches for 175 yards and one touchdown during the playoffs.

O.J. Howard is the other tight end of significance on Tampa's roster, but he missed 12 games last season, plus the entire playoff run with an Achilles injury.

The 2017 first-round pick looked pretty good in four games with Brady, as he recorded 11 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns, but his season ended before it ever really got started.

While Brate is signed through 2023, Howard can become a free agent next offseason, so perhaps the Bucs will move Howard in a trade to ensure they have the funds necessary to retain Gronkowski, as well as some of their other key free agents.