Rob Gronkowski still hasn’t said what he intends to do next year, but a new statement from his agent might show that the New England Patriots star is headed toward retirement.
As the New York Post reported, agent Drew Rosenhaus said this week that Gronkowski has a lot of action outside of the NFL and is considering a path that doesn’t have the physical rigors of football.
“He loves football. He loves playing with [quarterback Tom] Brady and [head coach Bill] Belichick and his teammates. He loves to win championships,” Rosenhaus said on the Peter King Podcast . “But at the same time, the amount of pain and punishment that he’s had to endure, for somebody who can do something outside of football and be a huge success — whether it is broadcasting, or acting, or endorsements — Rob has so many opportunities. It is a tough decision.”
The 29-year-old tight end said after the Patriots won the Super Bowl that he would take a few weeks to consider his future, and Rosenhaus had said last month that Gronk was “thinking it through.” There were widespread rumors near the end of last season that it would be his last hurrah in the NFL, as a number of chronic injuries had limited his once-explosive abilities.
There were reports that Gronkowski was considering a career in acting or possibly in the WWE.
Money will likely not be much of a factor in his decision. As Money.com reported, Gronkowski has been saving all of his career earnings, instead living off the endorsement money he has made while banking all his NFL salary. He has also been stingy with his millions, splurging on very little despite his reputation as a party-loving goofball.
Rob Gronkowski’s agent mentions “opportunities” away from football as part of a “tough decision” https://t.co/heHjMRkZqW
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 14, 2019
The New England Patriots may already be planning as if Gronkowski will be retiring. Reports noted that the team is heavy in pursuit of free agent wide receiver Golden Tate, who would be able to help offset some of the receiving production the team lost if Gronkowski were to retire.
But it would be nearly impossible to replace him entirely. As injuries slowed him this season, Gronkowski took on a larger role in the team’s blocking scheme and helped the team end the season with the No. 5 rushing attack and a total of 2,037 yards.
Neither the New England Patriots nor Rob Gronkowski have given any official indication of what he plans to do next year.
