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Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski are joined at the hip. The two have been inseparable on and off the field since Gronkowski was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2010.
The tight end spent nine seasons playing for the Patriots before retiring in 2019. He then unretired in 2020 and followed Brady to Tampa, joining the Buccaneers. After two seasons in Florida, Gronkowski retired for a second time on Tuesday, calling it a day on his Hall of Fame career.
While many congratulated Gronkowski for all that he has achieved, including his former Patriots teammate and good friend Julian Edelman, Brady remained quiet about the news.
Later, Gronkowski's agent Drew Rosenhaus told NFL insider Albert Breer that the quarterback could lure the tight end out of retirement for a second time. Breer reported:
"Agent @DrewJRosenhaus, via text, on his client Rob Gronkowski's retirement: 'This is just my opinion but I wouldn’t be surprised if Rob comes back during the season or next season.' Adds that if @TomBrady reaches out in midseason, he could see where 'Rob answers the call'."
Brady responded to the report with an iconic image of a man on his cellphone:
While it's possible that Brady was only having fun at the expense of his good friend and former teammate, it's just as likely that the quarterback gave everyone a glimpse of what he was about to do. Only time will tell if the quarterback was joking or if he will, in fact, lure Gronkowski back to the NFL for a second time.
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski's incredible partnership
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski's friendship has always been wholesome, but on-field, they were one of the most potent duos in NFL history. They combined for 105 touchdowns and almost 11,000 passing yards.
They combined for 15 touchdowns in the playoffs - the most by a quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history, three more than San Francisco 49ers legends Joe Montana and Jerry Rice.
They participated in six Super Bowls during their time as teammates (Gronkowski played five as he sat out of Super Bowl 51 due to an injury), winning four.
Gronkowski may be done for now, but as long as Brady is active, the chances of the legendary tight end returning for another season are there. But if he doesn't return, it's been a career to be proud of for one of the most unstoppable offensive weapons of all time in NFL history.
