New England Patriots - NESN.com
The vibes are high surrounding the New England Patriots right now. Not only did the team pick up its seventh-straight win in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but there was also some big news regarding former superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski that was revealed over the weekend.
Gronkowski played a huge role in helping the Patriots win their three most recent Super Bowl championships. One of the premier tight ends in the history of the league, Gronkowski was a force of nature during his time on the field, as he finished his career with 621 receptions for 9,286 yards and 93 total touchdowns.
After spending two seasons with the Bucs to close out his career, Gronkowski opted to retire from the NFL in 2021. However, he will briefly be coming out of retirement to sign a one-day contract with New England so that he can retire a Patriot, and the team shared on Monday that it will be broadcasting this event on Wednesday.
“The greatest tight end in NFL history is retiring a Patriot!” the team announced in a post on X. “Watch Rob Gronkowski sign his one-day contract this Wednesday at 12:15 PM LIVE on Patriots digital & social.”
A five-time Pro Bowler who was also selected to four All-Pro First Teams, Gronkowski is arguably the best tight end to ever set foot on the field in the NFL. The only thing that could slow him down was injuries, and if it weren’t for that, he might still be playing in the NFL today.
There’s no doubt that Gronkowski’s place in franchise history was already secure, but he will solidify his commitment to the team by retiring a Patriot. And with New England playing the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football in Week 11, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up being tabbed the “Keeper of the Light” for this game.
