Why Rob Gronkowski Isn’t Convinced Julian Edelman Is Done Playing

Rob Gronkowski briefly stepped away from the NFL, got his body right and ultimately returned to the league.

Gronk believes a similar path could be in store for Julian Edelman.

Edelman last month announced his retirement after over a decade with the New England Patriots. But Gronkowski, Edelman’s Patriots teammate for nine seasons, isn’t totally sure the Super Bowl LIII MVP has played his last NFL game.

“You know, Jules was an unbelievable player,” Gronkowski said last week on ESPN’s “#Greeny.” “He literally gives it all for his teammates. I just wish the best for Julian to heal up. Obviously, in his little press conference thing, he said he was going to go until the tires fell off and he sure has. So, I’m hoping he heals up. I want the best for him. I’ve been in that situation before.

“I believe, you know, if Julian truly heals up and whatever’s hurting on him and he fully heals and feels good, I think he’ll be back. I don’t see why he wouldn’t be back eventually in the future, maybe a year or two away. Lemme tell ya, he’s just a competitor. I say if he heals up 100%, feels good, I think he’ll be back in the NFL. I don’t know what team, I don’t know where, but I think he’s going to at least take this year off. He’s got a lot going on and he’ll be back, I think, if he heals up 100%.”

Gronkowski isn’t the only one in the football world who has a hunch Edelman might stage an NFL comeback. Former punter Pat McAfee went as far as to suggest Edelman, who turns 35 on May 22, could head to Tampa Bay upon his return and reunite with Gronkowski and Tom Brady. Edelman, however, quickly shot down that theory.

But regardless of what Edelman continues to say, ideas of his unretirement likely will be floated for the foreseeable future.