Report: 'It Wouldn't Shock' Gronk's Agent if He Plays Again Next Season
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announced Sunday over Instagram that he’s calling it quits and ending his stellar career.
But Monday morning on ESPN’s Get Up morning show, Gronkowski’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, left the door ever-so-slightly ajar that Gronk could perhaps return to the gridiron at some point.
“Rob is 29 years old. He’s still a very young man. It wouldn’t shock me if he has a change of heart, if he feels great and he decides that he wants to play football,” Drew Rosenhaus said according to ESPN.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus, on @GetUpESPN, was asked what Rob Gronkowski’s reaction was when he told him he could always come back. He also detailed what Gronk plans to do now: pic.twitter.com/bB9YLYjZDE
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 25, 2019
Rosenhaus added that it’s pure speculation on his part.
“But this is just me talking. This isn’t Rob. And I don’t want to create any unnecessary expectations. Rob is a very unique personality,” Rosenhaus said.
“If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you,’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games,” he added.
He reiterated that it’s unlikely.
“Rob Gronkowski is retired and it’s unlikely that he will ever play football again,” Rosenhaus said. “However, I did close my conversation with Rob yesterday when he called to tell me he was going to retire, and I said, ‘Rob, just keep in mind that if you ever have a change of heart, you can come back and play. I’m sure the Patriots would welcome you with open arms. If it’s sometime during the season. If it’s late in the year. If you feel good and want to come back and play, we’ll make it happen.'”
There is precedent — just look at what Cowboys tight end Jason Witten did, retiring to work for Monday Night Football for one year before rejoining the Cowboys this year.
“That’s all. It was just a suggestion. I couldn’t let go without leaving that in Rob’s ear. Hey listen, Jason Witten did it. Witten (is) another Hall of Fame tight end; he took the year off and decided to come back,” Rosenhaus said, reported ESPN.
What was Gronkowski’s reaction?
“He really was just laughing about it. He pretty much told me he’s done with football at this point and he’s ready to move on with his life, and football is really a thing in the past. But young guys, they can change their mind. You never know,” the agent noted.
There have been other players, besides Witten, that have come out of retirement. Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre announced his retirement in 2009 after one season with the Jets, only to sign with the Vikings for two more years later that year.
But Gronkowski, while still young, is a man in high demand for his talents off the football field and it’s likely that he’ll go off to have success in whatever field he chooses to pursue.
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