Rob Gronkowski on Tuesday announced he's once again deciding to step away from the NFL.
But if you ask the four-time Super Bowl champion's agent, the window isn't completely shut on Gronk strapping the pads back on and extending his playing career.
Gronkowski used Instagram to notify the sports world that his playing days are over after two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who he joined following a nine-year run with the New England Patriots. But moments after Gronk made his announcement on social media, Drew Rosenhaus kept football fans on high alert with a text to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"It would not surprise me if Tom Brady calls him during the season to come back and Rob answers the call," Rosenhaus texted the NFL insider. "This is just my opinion but I wouldn't be surprised if Rob comes back during the season or next season."
Brady clearly has a great deal of influence on Gronkowski, who seemingly made a beeline for Tampa Bay once the legendary quarterback took his talents to the Buccaneers. The Bucs might find themselves in great need of Gronk's services during the 2022 campaign, as the organization lost fellow tight end O.J. Howard in free agency over the offseason.
In the event Gronkowski comes out of retirement in the 2023 season to team up with Brady (again), there's a chance the duo could be playing on their third team together. The 44-year-old quarterback only is under contract with Tampa Bay for one more season, and who knows, maybe a great situation in a new city would intrigue Gronk following a year off.
At a minimum, Rosenhaus' text to Schefter is a great way of keeping Gronkowski's name in the minds of talking heads. As such, you can bank on a bevy of Gronk talk when even the future Hall of Famer isn't playing.
