Here’s When Rob Gronkowski Knew Super Bowl LIII Would Be His Final Game

Rob Gronkowski didn’t offer much about his NFL future to reporters following the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII win. The reality of the situation, however, is that Gronk had made up his mind well before officially announcing his retirement in March.

Gronkowski finished off his NFL career on a high note, and his stellar fourth-quarter catch was monumental in helping New England secure its sixth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. But it was earlier in the Patriots’ clash with the Los Angeles Rams when the 30-year-old knew that game would be his last.

The five-time Pro Bowl selection on Tuesday announced his latest career move: a shift to CBD space, which Gronk stressed immensely helped him in his recovery. Gronkowski, as all football fans know, dealt with a slew of injuries over the course of his nine-year career, and he added a quad ailment to the list during the second quarter of Patriots-Rams. We learned Tuesday this served as the final straw for Gronkowski, who no longer could bear the pain.

You can watch the play Gronkowski is referring to the in the video here.

Gronkowski now describes himself as pain-free and claims he’s in shape to play from a physical standpoint. But while the future Hall of Famer is leaving the door open for a potential return to the football field, a comeback doesn’t appear to be on the forefront.