FOXBORO, Mass. — After six Rob Gronkowski-less practices, the New England Patriots finally had their star tight end back on the field Tuesday morning.
What took him so long? Gronkowski explained after the final whistle had blown on Day 1 of mandatory Patriots minicamp.
“I just was training on my own,” Gronkowski said. “I felt like that was the best thing for me. I wanted to take care of my body. I wanted to take care of myself and see where I was at before I come out here. It went good. I think it was a good decision.”
He added: “I had to do what I had to do where I felt good enough — get my body prepared, get my body right again, see where my body was at, see where my mind was at — and I’m glad to be back out here. I feel like I definitely made the right decision coming back out.”
Gronkowski’s decision to skip all voluntary offseason workouts — including the first six days of organized team activities — came after he publicly contemplated stepping away from the game months earlier. The 29-year-old, who’s dealt with several serious injuries during his NFL career, flirted with retirement in the wake of Super Bowl LII before ultimately opting to return to the Patriots.
“I’ll just keep it simple,” Gronkowski said when asked to explain his uncertainty. “I just wanted to see where I was at. I was having all different thoughts. I needed to see where my body was at and everything, see if I really wanted to go through it, see if I could go through it again. I feel like I’m just going to do what’s best for myself and take care of myself because if I can’t take care of myself, I can’t take care of anyone else and I can’t help out the team.”
Gronkowski, who admitted feeling “some jitters” ahead of his first practice, looked like his usual dominant self once he stepped on the field. The four-time All-Pro caught all five passes thrown his way (though none from quarterback Tom Brady, who also returned Tuesday) during 4-on-4, 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills and made the catch of the day: a leaping grab over safeties Jordan Richards and Demarius Travis that went for a 55-yard touchdown.
Exuberant celebrations followed that play and others. Big No. 87 clearly was enjoying himself.
“It just felt really good to be back out on the field,” Gronkowski said. “That’s what matters most. I enjoyed it a lot (Tuesday). I love playing the game of football. The game of football is fun when you’re feeling good. If you’re not feeling good — I mean, myself, (and) I’ve asked many other players — you really don’t like the game of football.
“If you’re feeling good — your body feels good, your mind feels good — the joy of playing the game of football is off the charts. But at the same time, if you’re not feeling good, it can be awful. So I’m just making sure — I want to be feeling good, keep my mind clear, keep on playing the game and enjoy it.”
